Democratic and Republican senators say the US should offer a home to more Syrian refugees.
Syria's civil war is now in its third year. More than 2 million have fled the Arab country, straining neighbouring Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Many live under awful conditions.
US aid totals USD 1.3 billion. But the US has resettled about 100 Syrian refugees since fighting began.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin lamented the figure may only rise to a few hundred this year. He criticised overly restrictive US immigration laws for refugees.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, whose father was born in Cuba, also highlighted the crisis, citing the plight of Christian refugees.
US officials cited procedural delays. They said far more refugees could arrive in 2015.
