(CNN) -- The new Congress has been sworn in, with Democrats controlling both houses.
CNN.com asked readers what issues they think should top the legislative agenda.
Here is a selection of the latest responses, some of which have been edited for length and clarity.
Maria Gonzalez of Miami, Florida
Why not immigration reform? There are millions of people with families in the U.S. who need reform so that they may live a normal life and not live in the shadows suffering from what may be a clinical depression about their situation. Not only do illegal immigrants suffer the consequences of being illegally in this country but also their family suffer every day by observing the constant fear in their family member's eyes. It is time we recognize that action must be taken and that we can't deport 10 million people but we can give them a reform so that they may live normal lives.
Dave Hill of Medford, New Jersey
Investigate, investigate, investigate. History will judge you harshly Mr. Reid and Madam Speaker, if you do not take this sword and run fiercely into battle. Your country needs you.
Morris Bennett of Waycross, Georgia
I think global warming is the most important problem we face.
Fulton Counts of Piedmont, Alabama
The first legislative agenda item should be raising the minimum wage and then fixing the Medicare Part D prescription plan. There are millions who are worse off now than before the Part D plan was started. People who have prescription insurance and take a lot of medications are really hurting because of the coverage gap or "doughnut" hole. Once in the coverage gap, it's almost impossible to get out before the year ends. It was surely set up for the insurance companies.
Thomas Williams of Annapolis, Maryland
The Democrats should try to pass relatively uncomplicated legislation in order to prove they can get something done. I would suggest raising the minimum wage as an initial victory. The GOP is unlikely to filibuster that effort.
Gary Sherman of Nederland, Texas
Congress should clean up the ethics and accountability of its members first and impose stricter sanctions on those who violate them or the rest of what they do is moot. If we can't have honesty, integrity, accountability and responsibility in our representatives, then how can we trust them?
Dedria Arnold of Macomb, Illinois
Democrats should raise the minimum wage! Too many people are poor in this state and country. Maybe they should live one day in the poorer lower-income households and on their low incomes, go to their jobs to see what they have to do for the measly amount per hour. That way they really would see how bad it is. If businesses really cared about their workers, they would help them out more and support the hike.
Daryl Jackson of Shutesbury, Massachusetts
In my humble opinion the first thing that must be done is to restore the nation's trust in Congress. The Republican K Street project was a disaster for the American people. Second, I would demand that lawmakers act like legislators, not partisan attack dogs. Fighting over gays, guns, and God divides the country. We need to celebrate our diversity and have respect for each of our opinions. Third, I would call for an end to the war on the American middle class. Only our corporate leaders and the wealthy think the H1B visa program is good for America. On the same subject, I would get the borders under tight control. It doesn't help our democracy to have millions of illegal immigrants in the country.
Angelina Broussard of Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Reduce student loan interest rates, so that the middle class can afford to send their children to college.
John Kuhn of Salina, Kansas
Provide for defense of our service personnel fighting for our freedoms. Stop counting how many die and understand that our service personnel are dying to defend us here and in Congress to be free of harm or death by terrorist factions around the world wanting to destroy our rights and freedoms. Stay the course, fight the battle outside the U.S. while protecting our nation with defense, not economics or political gain as our choice.
K.S. of Fairborn, Ohio
Provide federal funding for stem cell research. Provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and institute a guest worker program.
Karen Bragg of Anderson, Indiana
Close the borders. Stop illegal immigration. Do not allow them to receive any benefits, which we have paid into for years. I am 64 and have worked since I was 17. Wrong is wrong. If I did something illegal, I'm sure the government would not say "That's OK, we forgive you."
Gantrick Monday of Washington
The very first item on the legislative agenda as the new Democratic Congress moves into session is raise the minimum wage to $7.50. It is becoming more and more expensive to live in the bigger cities of this country and survive on five or six dollars an hour. This is the major way the new Congress can prove itself helpful to the average American family.
Jacki Moss of Lewisburg, Tennessee
Listen to what the people at the Laundromats, grocery stores, and coffee shops are saying. These are the people who are hurting and these are the people you serve. These are the people whose children are shedding their blood in the Middle East, not rich folks' kids. These people actually do the work that makes America run and the fat cats fat. Help us.
Mark Cartwright of Batesville, Arkansas
The Democrats need to relax and realize that the country is not in the "terrible" shape they like to say it is. They should work on bipartisanship with the Republicans and not try to change everything. They should also keep their liberal agendas to themselves and not try to push them through Congress (against the wishes of the people) and onto the people of this great nation. The arrogant "we're in control now" attitudes are doing nothing for their party if they're trying to get more support. If anything, in my opinion, it has the opposite affect. They should continue our efforts in Iraq to bring as much peace as possible to that country, but a renewed vision on how to accomplish this is certainly welcomed.
Eddie Childress of Lewisburg, Tennessee
Make the marriage tax credit permanent!
Roger Beck of Scottsdale, Arizona
The most important issue is lobbying reform. The special interests (i.e. oil, pharmaceuticals) have each set aside $100 million to prevent any legislation passing that could diminish their outrageous profits. Nothing will change until the lobbyists can no longer write the legislation to be passed. The most difficult part of enacting this reform package will be getting enough Democrats to have the spine to follow the new speaker's lead.
Bill Cope of Taylorsville, Illinois
Does it really matter? Both political parties are so full of themselves with such arrogance and self-fulfillment that it doesn't matter who is in control. They will butt heads over Iraq, taxation, entitlements, as easily as they would argue over who buys the next round or a piece of chicken at free buffet. The entire governing process has made me such a cynic and non-participant for politics at all levels.
Anne Whaley of Columbia, South Carolina
The top agenda should be to stop corruption and limit the power of the oil companies. I also believe that the minimum wage should be raised to help low-wage working Americans.
Ralph Mullins of Morgantown, West Virginia
I think there needs to be a radical overhaul of our health care system and the cost of prescription drugs. Also, I believe we need to implement strict policies in regards to the employing of illegal aliens, punishing those employers with fines as well as incarceration. As far as our foreign policy, I think we need to take a hard, honest look at our relationship with Israel, and not stand behind them 100 percent of the time, especially when they commit many of the same atrocities that the Palestinians do.
David Delgado of Hemlock, Michigan
I work for the auto industry and would like to see changes in fair trade agreements that would make it a more level playing field. G.M., Ford and Chrysler put a lot of American people to work. Let's keep the jobs we have left.
Danielle Peasron of Montgomery, Alabama
The Democrats should first start with raising the national minimum wage to a rate that matches the cost of living in this expensive country. Most Americans, not just the middle class, are struggling to make ends meet. Rather, the ends are getting farther and farther apart. That definitely would be a good start. Think about it -- if the middle class is having such a hard time, imagine those living below that!
Chris McLaughlin of Lewisville, Texas
The Democrats need to do everything in their power to prevent President Bush from sending more troops to Iraq.
Dana Stanhope of St. Louis, Missouri
Congress must address the issue of a "for profit" health care industry, which places profit ahead of patient care. First and foremost, they must address the current law forbidding negotiation with pharmaceutical companies for Medicare drug pricing. It is absolutely ridiculous that these companies are permitted to make usurious profits via a state-supported mechanism.
Mike Major of Worcester, Massachusetts
The new Congress needs to shift its focus back to domestic policy. It is clear that we can't make the Middle East an entirely democratic region; there will always be fundamentalist resistance. We can't force the notion of global economy and freedom down their throats; we should simply deal with the Middle Eastern states that are democratic and leave the Islamic fundamentalist states alone. There is so much talk about terrorism, but we need to get to the root causes of why there is so much crime on our own soil committed by our own citizens.
Jane Galloway of Raleigh, North Carolina
I hope the Congress will take up the issue of health care immediately. As someone whose family is going through a serious health crisis, we understand how lucky we are to have good health care insurance. Every American deserves that same care.
Susan Dragieff of Oak Creek, Wisconsin
The first priority should be to take steps that benefit the planet Earth. We need to enact legislation to protect and preserve the resources -- animal, plant, air, water -- or it will not be good for humanity in general. We are already suffering with the effects of global warming.
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