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A powerful committee of the US House of Representatives has voted to block a deal that would give a Dubai-based company control over six US ports, reports BBC.
The vote is a direct challenge to President George W Bush by members of his own Republican party in Congress.
Lawmakers say they are concerned about the security implications of the deal - which is unpopular with the public.
Dubai Ports World is taking over P&O, which runs six major US ports from New York to New Orleans.
The House Appropriations Committee voted 62-2 for an amendment to block the deal.
The full House is expected to confirm the committee's decision next week and the measure is also expected to be approved in the Senate.
The deal is currently in limbo while the US conducts a review.
Bush has strongly backed the $6.85bn (£3.94bn) deal, saying repeatedly that he would veto any law designed to block it.
But Jerry Lewis, who heads the appropriations committee - in theory, at least, one of the president's key supporters - has made his legislation part of an emergency spending bill that provides extra funds for hurricane disaster relief and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We want to make sure that the security of our ports is in America's hands," Rep Lewis, a California Republican, said before the vote.
Opinion polls have shown an overwhelming majority of Americans think the White House is wrong to back the deal.
With an election due in November and the popularity of both the president and Congress low, some Republicans apparently fear that Democrats could use the deal against them.
"We're not going to let the Democrats get to the right of us on national security," Rep Peter King, who chairs the homeland security committee, said recently.
President Bush has never vetoed a law in more than five years in office.
Congressional leaders reportedly believe they would have enough votes to override a presidential veto.
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