If you enjoy outdoor recreation, whether that means camping in a wilderness area or just taking the kids to the playground at a city park, there is an excellent chance you owe a debt of gratitude to a federal program of which you may never have heard.

It is the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Unless Congress acts soon, the LWCF may cease to function.

Like many government services, the fund must be reauthorized periodically. Funds must be appropriated for it. Yet, with the current authorization set to expire Sunday, lawmakers have not done what is needed to keep the LWCF in operation.

Most people have never heard of the fund. Local recreation officials, national park managers and conservationists throughout the nation have, however.

Established in 1965, the LWCF uses some of the revenue that flows to the government from offshore oil and gas drilling. It receives not a dime from taxpayers in general.

How important is the program? During about 40 years, it provided funding to 40,400 local and state recreation and conservation initiatives. No, that is not a typographical error.

LWCF money goes to preserve significant natural areas within states, to improve municipal and county parks – even to help establish playgrounds and local swimming pools.

All that – and much more in every state of the union – has been accomplished by a government initiative that almost never receives as much money as authorized under the law. The LWCF, eligible for $900 million a year, has been given that much only once in its history. With partisan politics more bitter and prevalent than most Americans can recall, members of Congress ought to be delighted at the opportunity to reauthorize the LWCF. It is a program that directly or indirectly benefits every American. It is one on which Democrats as well as Republicans can agree.

It is something the government does right. Members of Congress should ensure the LWCF is reauthorized – with an appropriation adequate to continue its important work.