.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will definitely become the very first specific ladies's sportsmen to become awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania as well as Mikie Sherrill of New Jacket declared Tuesday that their bipartisan regulation had actually passed the House of Panels and will be actually delivered to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to honor King, the ping pong Lobby of Famer as well as lobbyist, had currently passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, stated in a statement that King's "life-time of proposal as well as hard work transformed the landscape for females as well as gals on the courtroom, in the class, and also the work environment." The bill was actually introduced in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of King's success over Bobby Riggs in the "War of the Sexual activities," still the most-watched tennis match of perpetuity. The medal, awarded by Congress for notable success and also additions to culture, has formerly been actually given to professional athletes, featuring baseball players Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente and also golfers Port Nicklaus, Byron Nelson as well as Arnold Palmer.King had actually already been granted the Governmental Award of Independence in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican politician, says she has "busted barriers, led undiscovered roads, and influenced numerous individuals to stand up proudly along with tenacity and principle in the defend what corrects.".