Following the U.S. House of Representatives, in the afternoon of January 16 at a plenary meeting, the U.S. Senate voted on a bill for the U.S. federal budget of the 2014 fiscal year, which also included the "comfort women" issue. This is the first time both houses of the U.S. Congress passed a bill related to the "comfort women" issue. On January 17, the bill will be formally signed by President Barack Obama and handed over to the U.S. government. Quoting analysts, the South Korean newspaper "Chosun Ilbo" stated that this marked the first time that the "comfort women" issue would be included as an area of concern within U.S. law, though it is not legally binding. Both government and non-government circles of South Korea welcomed the ruling for this would increase political pressure from the U.S. on Japan. However, Japan still has a variety of ways to defend itself.

The Global Post stated that the "Comfort Women Resolution" was raised by Japanese-American Congressman Mike Honda in 2007 and demands that the Japanese government deliver an official apology for forcing 200,000 women of other Asian countries into sexual enslavement during World War II as "comfort women". Honda welcomed the passage of "comfort women" in the bill by the U.S. Congress, which he considered "as part of a long-running effort to seek justice for those enslaved as 'comfort women' during World War II."

On January 17, Yonhap News Agency stated that South Korea's ruling and opposition parties in general welcomed the passage of "comfort women" in the bill by the U.S. Congress. Members of South Korea reiterated that the Japanese government "should offer a sincere apology to the comfort women and bear proper legal and political responsibility". A spokesman for the Democratic Party of South Korea said in a statement, "the passage of the bill serves as an opportunity for the whole world to remember that the comfort women issue is history that has yet to be resolved". However, there are also prevailing claims that the passage of the bill does not imply the U.S. government will necessarily "put pressure on Japan".

According to Japan's Kyodo News, as reported on January 16, "Local council members will protest the 'comfort women' statue" on January 16 in Los Angeles, U.S., which is composed of a dozen Japanese local council members who submitted a letter of protest to the local government requiring its removal. It is reported that Japanese congressmen wishing to meet with U.S. counterparts were rejected. According to "Jcast News”, a Japanese website,a series of events related to "comfort women" in South Korea “stripped” Japan of its diplomatic power.