A bill to require the Congress to enact into law specific authorization before certain commercial naval vessels previously registered under the laws of a foreign country may be documented under the laws of the United States.

Prohibits, unless the Congress passes a law approving documentation, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating from issuing a certificate of documentation to a vessel if the vessel was previously registered under the laws of a foreign country and: (1) documentation is sought for the purpose of obtaining the protection of U.S. military forces; or (2) the vessel has been operated, within the 12 months preceding the request for documentation, or is intended to be operated in the Persian Gulf or in an area where commercial vessels have been attacked in such 12 months.