Americans have a little more confidence in the honesty of the average congressman this month, but they’re less confident that Congress as a whole will address the serious issues facing the nation.

Only 30% of U.S. voters now say most members of Congress are corrupt, the lowest that finding has been since June of last year. Forty-seven percent (47%) say most congressmen are not corrupt, but 23% are not sure in the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Last month, 41% said most members of Congress are corrupt.

Still, 45% say used car salesmen are more ethical than members of Congress, although 28% give the legislators the edge on ethics.

But now, even as Congress wrestles with historically large economic bailout plans and the potential overhaul of health care in America, just 54% of voters say it is likely that the legislators will address the serious issues facing the nation. Only 13% say it is Very Likely.

The overall number is down four points from a month ago, while there’s been a 10-point drop in the number who say Congress is Very Likely to tackle such issues. It’s also the lowest overall finding since President Obama took office on January 20.

Now 42% say Congress is not very or not at all likely to confront serious national issues.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? Sign up now. If it's in the news, it's in our polls.) Rasmussen Reports updates also available on Twitter.

Eighteen percent (18%) of voters say Congress is doing a good or excellent job, while 46% rate its performance as poor. As low as these may seem, they represent a continuing positive trend in recent weeks and are the best numbers Congress has scored in nearly two years.

Most voters (55%) continue to believe that Congress has not passed any legislation that will significantly improve life in America, but 22% disagree. Another 22% aren’t sure.

Seventy percent (70%) say most members of Congress are more interested in their own careers than in sincerely helping people. Only 17% think congressmen put the interests of other people first. These numbers have remained largely unchanged since surveying began on this question in late 2006.

Not surprisingly, given Democratic control of both houses of Congress, most Democrats (55%) say the majority of the legislators are not corrupt, but just 44% of Republicans and 39% of those not affiliated with either party agree.

Democrats are also far more likely to think Congress is doing a good or excellent job and that it will tackle the serious issues facing the nation. While most Republicans (71%) and unaffiliateds (66%) say Congress has not passed legislation to significantly improve life in this country, Democrats are evenly divided on the question.

Fifty percent (50%) of all voters believe high congressional reelection rates are the result of election rules that are “rigged to benefit members of Congress.” However, 60% of the Political Class say legislators get reelected because they do a good job representing their constituents.

For just the second time in more than five years of tracking, Republicans now lead Democrats in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot. Forty-one percent (41%) say they would vote for their district’s Republican candidate while 38% would choose the Democrat.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free)… let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.