.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will certainly end up being the very first specific girls's professional athlete to become granted the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Shirt announced Tuesday that their bipartisan laws had actually passed the House of Reps as well as will be actually sent to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to honor King, the tennis Hall of Famer as well as protestor, had actually currently passed all in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, mentioned in a statement that Master's "life time of proposal and effort changed the yard for ladies and also girls on the courthouse, in the classroom, as well as the work environment." The expense was actually presented in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of Master's success over Bobby Riggs in the "War of the Sexes," still the most-watched ping pong suit of perpetuity. The medal, granted through Our lawmakers for distinguished accomplishments as well as additions to community, has actually earlier been actually provided to athletes, consisting of baseball players Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente and also golf enthusiasts Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and also Arnold Palmer.King had currently been actually granted the Presidential Award of Liberty in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican politician, states she possesses "damaged barricades, led unexplored courses, and influenced numerous individuals to stand proudly along with nerve and strong belief in the defend what is right.".