In what many see as an attempt to shift the conversation away from President Obama's controversial health care law, the president returned to one of his key second term objectives in a speech on Thursday: immigration reform. 

He urged the House of Representatives to act to overhaul the immigration system by the end of the year.

"It's good for our economy, it's good for our national security, it's good for our people, and we should do it this year," the president said.

Immigration reform is an issue that hasn't seen any legislative action since June, when the Senate passed a bill to beef up border patrol, provide a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and to reform visa programs. 

In the days before the bill was drafted, however, House Speaker John Boehner said, "We will not simply take up and accept the bill that is emerging in the Senate if it passes. Rather, through regular order, the House will work its will and produce its own legislation."

The House has not yet made clear how exactly it will move forward with its reform bill.

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