.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean King will definitely come to be the very first individual females's athlete to be rewarded the Legislative Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania as well as Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey revealed Tuesday that their bipartisan regulation had passed the House of Panels and also would be actually sent out to Head of state Joe Biden for his signature.The expense to honor King, the ping pong Hallway of Famer and activist, had actually presently passed unanimously in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, said in a claim that Master's "lifetime of proposal and also hard work transformed the garden for females and ladies on the court, in the classroom, and also the workplace." The costs was actually introduced in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of King's success over Bobby Riggs in the "Fight of the Sexual activities," still the most-watched ping pong match of perpetuity. The medal, rewarded through Our lawmakers for distinguished accomplishments and also additions to society, has actually recently been provided to professional athletes, including pitcher Jackie Robinson and also Roberto Clemente as well as golf enthusiasts Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and also Arnold Palmer.King had already been actually rewarded the Presidential Medal of Flexibility in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, states she has "broken obstacles, led unexplored pathways, as well as motivated many folks to stand up happily along with nerve and view in the fight for what is right.".