[1][2] It was the first significant federal legislative response to homelessness,[3] and was passed by the 100th United States Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on July 22, 1987.

After the death of a leading supporter of the legislation, Bruce Vento,[6] President Bill Clinton[7] renamed it the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Clary then worked with national advocates to ensure that the protections afforded to homeless children by the Illinois statute were incorporated into the McKinney Act.

That Act uses the Illinois statute in defining homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence."

[14] To implement the Act, States must designate a statewide homeless coordinator to review policies and create procedures, including dispute resolution procedures, to ensure that homeless children are able to attend school.