U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, District 11 | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, District 11 | Official U.S. House headshot
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to tennis icon Billie Jean King, recognized for her contributions to equal pay in women's sports. This legislative milestone coincides with the 51st anniversary of King's victory over Bobby Riggs on September 20, 1973, marking the first time a female athlete will receive this prestigious civilian honor.
On the House floor, Representative Nicole Malliotakis expressed her support for awarding King this distinction and underscored Staten Island's historical connection to tennis. "As the representative of Staten Island, NY—where the sport of tennis was first brought and played by Mary Ewing Outerbridge 150 years ago and where the first national tennis tournament was played in 1880—it gives me great pride to join my colleagues in honoring the woman who advanced the sport and achieved equal prize money for herself and all the women who followed," she stated.
Malliotakis further highlighted King's influence on American women across generations. "Billie Jean King has inspired generations of American women. She lived the dream for her generation and women who came before her who lived during a time when they were restricted from reaching their full potential, and she has empowered younger women with the road she paved and the ceiling she broke," Malliotakis added.
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