The Act also created a civil penalty of $250,000 or "2 times the gross receipts, either known or estimated, that were derived from each violation that is attributable to the person", whichever was greater.

The bill, originally titled the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act (RAVE ACT), was sponsored by Senator Joe Biden, along with cosponsors Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Joe Lieberman, Strom Thurmond, Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin.

On June 27, 2002, it was reported out of the committee without written comment or amendment and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.

It was reintroduced in the 108th United States Congress by Biden, under the name "Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act".

[4] Erin Treacy of the Florida International University College of Law has argued that the RAVE Act violates the First Amendment because it is overbroad and is intended to criminalize electronic music concerts.