.Sep 17, 2024, 09:18 PM ETWASHINGTON-- Billie Jean Master are going to come to be the first individual girls's professional athlete to become rewarded the Legislative Gold Medal.Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey announced Tuesday that their bipartisan laws had actually passed our home of Representatives as well as would be delivered to President Joe Biden for his signature.The bill to recognize Master, the ping pong Hall of Famer as well as protestor, had currently passed all in the Senate.Sherrill, a Democrat, claimed in a declaration that Master's "lifetime of advocacy and also hard work changed the landscape for ladies as well as ladies on the court, in the class, and also the office." The expense was actually launched in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of King's victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Struggle of the Sexes," still the most-watched tennis suit of perpetuity. The medal, granted through Our lawmakers for prominent success as well as contributions to culture, has actually previously been actually provided sportsmens, consisting of baseball players Jackie Robinson as well as Roberto Clemente as well as golf players Port Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and also Arnold Palmer.King had actually already been actually rewarded the Presidential Award of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, says she has "faulty barriers, led undiscovered pathways, as well as inspired many folks to stand proudly with courage as well as conviction in the defend what is right.".