A bipartisan group of House members today unveiled an immigration overhaul bill and promised action before summer, jumping ahead of Senate colleagues who are struggling to reach consensus.

Led by chief sponsors Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., the group of 10 House members said the “stars are aligned” for changes in immigration law that proved impossible to enact a year ago.

Despite their optimism and good cheer, the group was not joined by the relevant subcommittee or committee chairs or ranking Republicans, nor any of the elected Democratic leadership of the House.

Gutierrez and Flake have been working with Sens. Edward M Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., for several months, and both had previously indicated that the Senate would move first on the legislation.

Kennedy and his staff initially said they planned to have a bill ready to go in early March. But Kennedy and McCain had disagreements over portions of the new legislation and instead are considering starting with last year’s Senate Judiciary Committee bill instead.