Congress has a busy year ahead of it.

As they put the finishing touches on an overhaul of the nation's health insurance system, Members are already beginning to grapple with several difficult issues -- not to mention mid-term elections in the fall.

The Democratic leadership of both chambers is expected to spend most of this session on issues like jobs and the environment, which were pushed to the sidelines by the long-running debate over health care.

With the help of a few people who closely follow Congress, we took a closer look at six of its top priorities in 2010:

Cap and trade: A controversial proposal to create a new system limiting greenhouse gases and allowing companies to trade pollution credits passed the House last year, but it has not yet come up for discussion in the Senate. Meantime, the Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with plans to regulate carbon dioxide without Congressional consent -- a move both environmentalists and big business hope to avoid by passing legislation.

Jobs: Unemployment continues to be high. The House passed a $154 billion job-creation bill (HR 2847 ) last fall funded in part by leftover money from the bank bailout. The measure would build roads and low-income housing, help states facing budget shortfalls, and extend unemployment benefits. The Senate will likely take up a jobs bill early this year, but their version may be significantly different. "Jobs is one of the biggest areas Congress and the administration will focus on," said Winnie Stachelberg, a spokeswoman for American Progress, a liberal think tank. "It will be a significant component of the President's State of the Union address."

Financial regulation: A sweeping overhaul of the nation's financial regulations will be among the top priorities for the Senate this year. The House passed its bill (HR 4173 ) in December, but the Senate version is expected to be quite different. The Senate may take regulatory power away from the Federal Reserve but it would leave out a proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency created in the House version of the bill.

Immigration: Democratic leaders in both chambers have promised to give floor time to a comprehensive immigration overhaul, but there is only a narrow window of opportunity early this year before the approaching midterm elections complicates matters. Still, immigration issues continue to come up in other bills, including health care. "One way or another, it will be on the table," says Nick Allard, chair of lobbying at D.C. law firm Patton Boggs.

Deficit reduction: After passing the costly bank bailout, financial stimulus, and health care overhaul, Congressional Democrats are looking for a way to show that they are serious about fiscal responsibility. With the deficit continuing to grow, expect some measure to reduce spending, increase taxes, or otherwise begin to address the rising national debt. One idea already put forward : Create a new commission to propose spending cuts and tax hikes to reduce the deficit.

Terrorism: The attempted bombing of a jetliner on Christmas Day has once again raised concerns about terrorism. Expect Congressional hearings on how prepared government agencies were that day and discussions on how to prevent further attempts. "A big question is going to be whether resources for homeland security will continue to be siphoned off into domestic and local spending programs," says Ernest Istook, a distinguished fellow with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

In addition, Congress will need to decide whether to let the estate tax expire, approve funds for the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and decide how much to spend on new roads and rail lines.

Phil Mattingly contributed to this report.

Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.