.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will end up being the very first private females's professional athlete to become awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania as well as Mikie Sherrill of New Jacket announced Tuesday that their bipartisan legislation had passed your house of Representatives and would be actually sent to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The expense to honor Master, the tennis Hall of Famer and also activist, had presently passed with one voice in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, mentioned in a declaration that King's "life-time of proposal and also hard work changed the garden for ladies as well as women on the court, in the classroom, and also the work environment." The costs was actually presented in September 2023 on the 50th wedding anniversary of Master's success over Bobby Riggs in the "Fight of the Sexes," still the most-watched tennis suit of perpetuity. The medal, awarded through Congress for recognized achievements as well as payments to society, has actually earlier been offered to professional athletes, featuring pitcher Jackie Robinson as well as Roberto Clemente and also golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.King had currently been actually awarded the Governmental Award of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican politician, mentions she possesses "damaged barricades, led unexplored paths, and also inspired countless folks to stand up proudly with guts as well as strong belief in the defend what corrects.".