Billie Jean King set to make history with Congressional Gold Medal

WASHINGTON -- Billie Jean King will become the first individual women's athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey announced Tuesday that their bipartisan legislation had passed the House of Representatives and would be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The bill to honor King, the tennis Hall of Famer and activist, had already passed unanimously in the Senate.

Sherrill, a Democrat, said in a statement that King's "lifetime of advocacy and hard work changed the landscape for women and girls on the court, in the classroom, and the workplace."

The bill was introduced in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of King's victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes," still the most-watched tennis match of all time. The medal, awarded by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions to society, has previously been given to athletes, including baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente and golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.

King had already been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, says she has "broken barriers, led uncharted paths, and inspired countless people to stand proudly with courage and conviction in the fight for what is right."