The U.S. 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, Politico writes.
The House approved the measure, offered by Democratic Representatives Frank Pallone and Chris Pappas, as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. In a bipartisan blowout, 180 Democrats and 149 Republicans joined forces to pass legislation, which authorizes Pentagon spending levels and sets overarching military policy.
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 U.S. 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 Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who reviews major international weapons deal, has said previously he opposed the sale.
However, it is several steps from becoming law. Once the House passes its version of the NDAA - expected later on Thursday - the Senate must approve its version. Then lawmakers must reach a compromise version of the legislation, which authorizes more than $800 billion in defense spending, before voting again later this year.
“It’s necessary because the administration has ignored strong and consistent congressional opposition to this sale since it was first proposed last fall,” Rep. Frank Pallone, a co-sponsor of the amendment, said on the House floor. “The sale of American advanced fighter jets to Turkey will not incentivize President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to suddenly transform into a good ally,” Pallone said. “More likely these weapons will lead to further death and destruction in the region.”
Turkey has stoked the ire of U.S. lawmakers for its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air and missile defense system, frequent violations of Greek airspace and for initially putting up roadblocks to Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
