1. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Billie Jean King, born Billie Jean Moffit, on November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California, was the first child of Betty (née Jerman) and Bill Moffitt. (2) Billie Jean demonstrated athletic prowess from a young age. She was introduced to tennis at the age of 11, and soon after, Billie Jean purchased her first tennis racket using money she earned working various jobs in her neighborhood. (3) After becoming involved with tennis, Billie Jean observed inequities within the sport and realized she could use tennis as a platform—if she became number one. From then on, Billie Jean was determined to become a top athlete in her sport. (4) Billie Jean broke numerous barriers to become a number one professional tennis player. She dominated women’s tennis with 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles, including a record 20 championships at Wimbledon. She also was a member of three World TeamTennis championship teams. (5) After growing in prominence, Billie Jean used her platform as a celebrity to fight for equal rights and opportunities for equality for all genders in sports—and society—in the United States. (6) Billie Jean played an instrumental role in the passage of Title IX, a law that mandates equal funding for women’s and men’s sports programs in schools and colleges. This legislation has unlocked a world of opportunities for girls and women in education and sports. (7) During Billie Jean’s career, the pay difference between prize money for men and women in tennis continued to expand. By the early 1970s, the pay gap in prize money reached ratios of as much as 12 to one. Fewer and fewer tournaments were hosting women’s events. Realizing that she would not have support from mainstream tennis organizations, 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 sport. Along with eight other women tennis players, Billie Jean risked it all and formed an