Washington ? Three months after a power-shifting election, a majority of Americans still disapprove of Congress – a sign of public impatience with the new Democratic majority even among party loyalists.

Still, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted this week shows that Congress’ public image has improved slowly but steadily since the November elections when Iraq, corruption and partisan fighting drove congressional approval ratings below those of President Bush.

According to the poll, 65 percent of those surveyed disapprove of the way the president is handling his job, slightly up from his disapproval ratings last month. As for Congress, 58 percent disapproved of the work of lawmakers, a slight decrease from last month and a 14 percentage-point decrease from congressional disapproval in October.

Democrats ran on a message of changing the country’s direction on the war and domestic policies, but Congress is still trying to find its voice on Iraq, and legislation at the top of the Democratic agenda has yet to make its way through the Capitol and to the president’s desk.

Even a majority of Democrats – 52 percent – disapprove of the work of Congress, indicating a desire for quicker action from the new Democratic management. Just 39 percent of Democrats approved of Congress, though that rating is a significant improvement from the 9 percent who approved in October.

“They are caught in a Catch-22, because Iraq is the thing that’s on most people’s minds and it has to be dealt with, and it leaves very little time and energy to do anything else,” said Diane Bania, of Clifton, N.J., who described herself as somewhat liberal and leaning Democrat.

Added Eleanore Putman, 86, of Deltona, Fla.: “The Democrats, right now, don’t seem to be progressing well. They don’t agree on much. I’m disappointed they don’t immediately stop the troops from going to Iraq that Bush wants. I can’t conceive that they would just sit there and talk.”

The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Feb. 5-7. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.