California Senator Alex Padilla led a bipartisan delegation in sending a letter to President Biden, recommending that Johnson be awarded posthumously.
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The Kingsburg High School alum was one of the most well-known and successful athletes of his time.
In 1960, he won gold in the Olympic Decathlon after having won a silver in the 1956 games.
After his storied career as an athlete, Johnson became an actor.
He appeared in a number of movies including Wild in the Country with Elvis Presley and the 1989 James Bond film, A License to Kill.
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Johnson even helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968.
In the letter to President Biden, lawmakers went on to say his legacy serves as a blueprint for all Americans.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation's highest civilian honor.