Question about voting in congress

How exactly does a bill get to be voted on in congress? One thing I heard about this mid term election that bugged me was that Latinos did not support Democrats because they were angry with Obama over the lack of immigration reform. At the same time, I also heard that the bill for reform is in the House and Boner simply won't let it come to the floor for a vote. This is only one example of this sort of thing I've heard on and off as a result of the most obstructionist congress in the history of America.

So what has frustrated me to no end is that with Boner blocking votes and filibusters essentially killing bills/appointments in the Senate, is not understanding what it takes for a bill to be voted on. when people were upset with Obama over immigration form not getting passed, Democrats should have been able to scream from the rooftops that Republicans VOTED against it. Except that they never actually voted against it, they just never let it be voted on!

There are a ton of progressive issues that the republicans NEVER had to go on the voting record as opposing, which leaves people with little to go on.

So, how exactly does a bill get to the floor? I know they go through committees before they get to the floor, but I don't understand how the speaker alone can basically block a bill from ever being voted on. Not even the President has the power to do that, which seems to make the speaker more powerful than the President!