The senator ripped the tentative plan Sunday, saying Obama had failed to "assert American leadership" on Syria.

Panetta said the military was "prepared for any contingency" but the administration still believed matters could be resolved diplomatically.

The Senate Veterans' Affairs committee chairwoman said lawmakers had ignored the long-term funding needs of war veterans.

"We’ve seen levels of violence going down, So, we’re on the right track," Panetta said.

A bipartisan group of senators praised the contribution of American women who volunteered with American Red Cross.

“Winding down these longs wars has enabled us to replace and rebalance our foreign policy," Vice President Biden said.

The Senate has decided to pump millions of dollars more into the Pentagon's manhunt for African rebel leader Joseph Kony, sparking questions on how much longer American troops will be tied down with the mission. 

The White House has signed off on a plan ordering American officials to begin laying the groundwork for arming rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian president Bashir al-Assad. 

President Obama signed into law Friday legislation pushed by Minnesota lawmakers that reversed a National Guard policy reducing in paid leave time for more than 49,000 soldiers.

The legislation, authored by Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), restored paid leave benefits for National Guard members who had already deployed before the Pentagon changed its policy last October.