.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will end up being the 1st personal women's sportsmen to be rewarded the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and also Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey revealed Tuesday that their bipartisan regulation had passed your house of Representatives and would be actually sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.The costs to honor King, the ping pong Hall of Famer and lobbyist, had actually currently passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, mentioned in a declaration that King's "life time of advocacy and effort transformed the landscape for females and ladies on the court, in the class, and the place of work." The expense was introduced in September 2023 on the 50th wedding anniversary of Master's victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexual activities," still the most-watched tennis match of all time. The award, granted by Our lawmakers for notable accomplishments as well as contributions to culture, has formerly been actually provided to athletes, including baseball players Jackie Robinson as well as Roberto Clemente and also golfers Port Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had currently been actually rewarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, mentions she has "broken barricades, led undiscovered courses, and also motivated plenty of people to stand up proudly with guts as well as sentiment in the fight for what is right.".