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Billie Jean King to Become First Female Athlete to Receive Congressional Gold Medal

The tennis legend and activist is adding another impressive honor to her resume.

Madison Williams

Billie Jean King poses with the women's U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and runner-up Jessica Pegula.
Billie Jean King poses with the women's U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and runner-up Jessica Pegula. / Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Tennis legend and activist Billie Jean King will once again make history by becoming the first female athlete to ever receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

A bill was introduced in Sept. 2023 by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey around the time of the 50th anniversary of King's iconic victory over Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes."

The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate, then passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Now, the bill is sent to President Joe Biden for his signature to make the honor official.

The Congressional Gold Medal is an honor given to individuals with "distinguished achievements and contributions to society" in the United States. Various male athletes have received the honor, such as Jackie Robinson and Arnold Palmer, to name a couple.

King responded to both FItzpatrick's and Sherrill's tweets announcing the news on Tuesday.

"Thank you. I am deeply humbled and honored," King wrote.

"Thank you. It's an honor," King wrote, with a praying hands emoji.

King previously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 from President Barack Obama.

The 12-time major champion is known for her career on the tennis court, but also for her advocacy of gender equality in athletics. She helped establish the Women's Tennis Association, and she was a leader in implementing Title IX across the country.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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