Immigration Reform 2013 News: Three Republicans Sign on to House Bill, Spark New Hope for 2013 Bill

A new trickle of hope that immigration reform may pass this year has been sparked by three House Republicans who have signed on to the House comprehensive immigration reform bill presented by Democrats earlier this month.

Republican Rep. David Valadao of California is officially on board with the bill, which was authored by Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi and a dozen Democrats. On Oct. 2, they introduced the proposal, which maintains many elements from the Senate bill passed in June, including a provision to provide immigrants with a pathway to citizenship and to tighten border security.   

In regard to his support of the bill, Valadao released a statement saying, "I have been working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find common ground on the issue of immigration reform," reports the Washington Post.  "Recently, I have focused my efforts on joining with likeminded Republicans in organizing and demonstrating to Republican Leadership broad support within the Party to address immigration reform in the House by the end of the year.

"By supporting H.R. 15 I am strengthening my message: Addressing immigration reform in the House cannot wait. I am serious about making real progress and will remain committed to doing whatever it takes to repair our broken immigration system."

Likewise, GOP Reps. Leana Ros-Lehtinen and Jeff Denham have also signed on the Democratic bill, helping to emphasize the importance of passing reform to GOP leadership. 

Earlier this week, around 600 advocates, including conservatives, evangelicals and business leaders, descended on Capitol Hill for a "fly-in" to urge support for immigration reform, reports the Huffington Post. The effort aimed to renew the House focus on immigration reform after congress remained preoccupied by budget battles in recent months. However, House Republican leaders have rejected a comprehensive approach, saying they will instead vote on individual pieces of legislation.