The US House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation that would create a new hurdle for President Joe Biden's plan to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, Reuters reported.

The House approved the measure, offered by Democratic Representatives Frank Pallone and Chris Pappas, as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, by a vote of 244 for to 179 against.

It is the latest effort by members of Congress to exert control over the sale of the Lockheed Martin aircraft to NATO ally Turkey.

The amendment would bar the United States to sell or transfer the jets to Turkey unless the administration certifies that doing so is essential to US national security and included a description of concrete steps taken to ensure they are not used for repeated unauthorized overflights of Greece.

Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who reviews major international weapons deal, has said previously he opposed the sale.