#aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bhfa ,,an ,,act ,to award a ,congressional ,gold ,medal to ,billie ,jean ,king1 an ,american icon1 in recognition of a remarkable life devoted to championing equal rights for all1 in sports and in society4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,billie ,jean ,king ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,billie ,jean ,king1 born ,billie ,jean ,moffitt on ,november #bb1 #aidc1 in ,long ,beach1 ,california1 demonstrated athletic prowess from a young age4 ,she was introduced to tennis at the age of #aa1 and soon after1 ,billie ,jean purchased her first tennis racket using money she earned working various jobs in her neighborhood4 7#b7 ,billie ,jean broke numerous barriers to become a number one professional tennis player4 ,she dominated women's tennis with #ci ,grand ,slam singles1 doubles1 and mixed doubles titles1 including a record #bj championships at ,wimbledon4 ,she also was a member of #c ,world ,team,tennis championship teams4 7#c7 ,after growing in prominence1 ,billie ,jean used her platform as a celebrity to fight for equal rights and opportunities for equality for all in sports1 and society1 in the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,billie ,jean played an instrumental role in the passage of title ,,ix of the ,education ,amendments ,act of #aigb 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #afha et seq471 a law that mandates equal funding for women's and men's sports programs in schools and colleges4 ,this legislation has unlocked a world of opportunities for girls and women in education and sports4 7#e7 ,during ,billie ,jean's career1 the pay difference between prize money for men and women in tennis continued to expand4 ,by the early #aigjs1 the pay gap in prize money reached ratios of as much as #ab to #a4 ,fewer and fewer tournaments were hosting women's events4 ,billie ,jean harnessed the energy of the women's rights movement to create a women's tennis tour that would elevate women's tennis and establish pay equity within the sport4 ,along with #h other women tennis players1 she formed an independent women's professional tennis circuit1 the ,virginia ,slims ,series4 7#f7 ,in #aigc1 ,billie ,jean founded the ,women's ,tennis ,association1 today's principal governing body for women's professional tennis4 7#g7 ,billie ,jean helped found women,sports magazine and founded the ,women's ,sports ,foundation4 ,both have been at the forefront of advancing women's voice in sports4 7#h7 ,billie ,jean successfully lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the #aigc ,,us ,open ,tennis ,championships4 ,it would take another #cd years for the other #c major tournaments to all offer equal prize money4 7#i7 ,in #aigc1 ,billie ,jean played a tennis match against ,bobby ,riggs1 a former ,world ,number #a player who sought to undermine the credibility and prominence of women in sports4 ,billie ,jean defeated ,riggs in what became a firm declaration of women's role in sports and society4 7#aj7 ,billie ,jean ,king was the first tennis player and woman to be named ,sports ,illustrated's ,sportsperson of the ,year1 one of the #ajj ,most ,important ,americans of the #bjth ,century by ,,life magazine1 was the recipient of the #aiii ,arthur ,ashe ,award for ,courage1 and has been admitted to the ,international ,women's ,sports ,hall of ,fame1 the ,international ,tennis ,hall of ,fame1 and the ,national ,women's ,hall of ,fame4 7#aa7 ,in #bjjf1 the ,united ,states ,tennis ,association recognized ,billie ,jean's immeasurable impact on the sport of tennis by renaming the site of the ,,us ,open in her honor as the ,,usta ,billie ,jean ,king ,national ,tennis ,center1 which is located in ,flushing ,meadows ,corona ,park in ,queens1 ,new ,york4 ,this was the first time a major sporting complex was named after a woman4 7#ab7 ,in #bjji1 ,billie ,jean was awarded the ,presidential ,medal of ,freedom1 the highest civilian honor in the ,united ,states1 by ,president ,barack ,obama for her impactful work advocating for the rights of women4 ,she was the first female athlete to receive this honor4 7#ac7 ,in #bjad1 ,billie ,jean ,king founded the ,billie ,jean ,king ,leadership ,initiative to empower companies and individuals to create inclusive work environments that celebrate and promote diversity and equality in the workplace4 7#ad7 ,in #bjbj1 ,fed ,cup1 the world cup of women's tennis1 was renamed the ,billie ,jean ,king ,cup1 making it the first global team competition to be named after a woman4 7#ae7 ,billie ,jean ,king's extraordinary courage1 leadership1 and activism helped propel the women's movement forward1 and open doors for countless people in the ,united ,states4 ,on and off the court1 ,billie ,jean has served as an inspiration to millions of people the world over4 ,few women and men have had a greater impact on their sport and on our society than ,billie ,jean ,king4 #c4 ,congressional gold medal 7a7 ,presentation authorized ,the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation1 on behalf of ,congress1 of a gold medal of appropriate design to ,billie ,jean ,king1 in recognition of her contribution to the ,united ,states and her courageous and groundbreaking leadership advancing equal rights for women in athletics1 education1 and our society4 7b7 ,design and striking ,for purposes of the presentation described in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7referred to in this ,act as the ,secretary7 shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions to be determined by the ,secretary4 ,the design shall bear an image of1 and inscription of the name of1 ,billie ,jean ,king4 #d4 ,duplicate medals ,the ,secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section #c at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals1 including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses4 #e4 ,status of medals 7a7 ,national medals ,medals struck under this ,act are national medals for purposes of chapter #ea of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic items ,for purposes of section #eacd and section #eacf of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 all medals struck under this ,act shall be considered to be numismatic items4 #f4 ,authority to use fund amounts2 proceeds of sale 7a7 ,authority ,to use fund amounts ,there is authorized to be charged against the ,united ,states ,mint ,public ,enterprise ,fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under this ,act4 7b7 ,proceeds of sale ,amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section #d shall be deposited into the ,united ,states ,mint ,public ,enterprise ,fund4 ,passed the ,senate ,may #h1 #bjbd4,secretary