.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King are going to end up being the very first specific ladies's professional athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and also Mikie Sherrill of New Shirt announced Tuesday that their bipartisan legislation had actually passed your house of Reps and would certainly be actually sent out to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The expense to honor Master, the ping pong Lobby of Famer and also activist, had actually passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, mentioned in a statement that Master's "life-time of campaigning for and also hard work changed the yard for women and women on the courthouse, in the class, and the place of work." The costs was actually offered in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of Master's triumph over Bobby Riggs in the "Struggle of the Sexes," still the most-watched tennis match of perpetuity. The award, granted by Our lawmakers for recognized accomplishments as well as additions to community, has actually recently been actually provided to professional athletes, including pitcher Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente and golf enthusiasts Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had actually currently been actually awarded the Presidential Award of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican politician, says she possesses "broken barriers, led unexplored pathways, as well as encouraged numerous individuals to stand up proudly along with courage and also view in the defend what corrects.".