Billie Jean King could be the first individual athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal

Billie Jean King, a member of the Tennis Hall of Fame and a committed activist for equality for women in sports, could be the first individual athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey say they have enough votes in the House to give her the prestigious award. The only remaining step is to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate.

“Billie Jean broke one barrier and hopefully she will break another,” said Fitzpatrick, a Republican. “Hopefully this is the first of many.”

Lawmakers introduced the bill in September 2023 on the 50th anniversary of King's victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” which remains the most-watched tennis match of all time.

READ MORE: Danny Jansen is the first player in MLB history to play for both teams in the same game

In the same year, King successfully campaigned for the prize money at the US Open to be distributed equally between the men's and women's winners. This led to the creation of the WTA Tour.

The gold medal is awarded by Congress for outstanding achievements and contributions to society. Recipients include baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente and golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.

“We need her advocacy,” said Democratic Rep. Sherrill. “For example, when Billie Jean King appears on Capitol Hill, our Speaker Emerita Pelosi stands up for her because of that relationship and her influence on so many women, which has had so much influence on so many of us.”