.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King are going to come to be the first specific females's sportsmen to be rewarded the Congressional Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jacket declared Tuesday that their bipartisan laws had passed your home of Representatives and also would certainly be actually sent out to President Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to honor Master, the ping pong Lobby of Famer as well as protestor, had currently passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, mentioned in a statement that Master's "life time of advocacy and also hard work transformed the landscape for females and also ladies on the courtroom, in the class, and the workplace." The expense was offered 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 match of perpetuity. The award, granted by Congress for prominent success and also payments to society, has actually formerly been actually provided professional athletes, consisting of pitcher Jackie Robinson as well as Roberto Clemente and golf players Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and also Arnold Palmer.King had currently been actually granted the Governmental Medal of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican politician, claims she has "defective obstacles, led unexplored courses, and also encouraged numerous people to stand happily along with nerve and view in the defend what corrects.".