New congress, old issues: power shifted on Capitol Hill when Democrats took control of both the House and Senate in November's midterm elections. But the issues facing Congress and the nation are just as tough as they were last year.

• Author: Bilyeu, Suzanne
• Position: NATIONAL

With Democratic majorities expected in both houses of Congress, the speeches and press conferences are likely to sound quite different from those before the November elections, even though many of the issues the new group of lawmakers will be wrestling with are the same.

What's unclear at this point is whether a Democratic Congress and a Republican President will be able to accomplish very much over the next two years--especially with so many House and Senate members of both parties thinking about running for President in 2008.

Here's a summary of the issues you're likely to be hearing about in the months ahead, and how the positions, as well as the rhetoric, may differ from last year's.

THE MINIMUM WAGE

A bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour from $5.15 is expected to be one of the first items on the congressional agenda. Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts is the bill's chief sponsor. Supporters of a hike note that there has not been an increase in the federal rate since 1997, although a number of states have raised their minimum wages in recent years. Opponents of an increase say it would hurt small businesses and that employers would cut back on their hiring of Low-skilled workers as a result. The proposed raise of $2.10 per hour would take place in three stages, reaching $7.25 in spring 2009. President Bush indicated last month that he would support an increase to $7.25.

IRAQ

The Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel appointed by Congress, released a report in November that criticized President Bush's strategy in Iraq and outlined 79 proposals for a new approach. The recommendations include a pullback of U.S. troops over the next 15 months [although there has also been talk of a temporary increase in forces], and opening discussions with Syria and Iran, which the administration has opposed in the past. Bush called the report "an opportunity to come together and work together," but it's unclear how large a role it will have in shaping U.S. policy. Democrats say they will use Congress's "power of the purse" to gain more influence over Iraq policy and the billions of dollars the war costs each month.

TAXES

Democrats say they will propose legislation to reduce college tuition costs through tax credits or lower interest rates on student loans. They have also been critical of the tax cuts enacted in 2001, which they say disproportionately benefit the wealthiest households and businesses.

IMMIGRATION

One of the most...