A government shutdown is just hours away unless lawmakers in Washington strike a last-minute deal, a move that could directly impact tens of thousands of Central Florida residents.

Nearly 47,000 civilian federal employees work in Central Florida, according to congressional data. If a shutdown begins at midnight, many face the possibility of furloughs or delayed paychecks.

Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits would continue, but other services could slow down, including passport processing.

“Passports are a really big deal for our office. You think they take long now? It’s going to take a lot longer in a government shutdown,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat.

Republican Rep. Mike Haridopolos acknowledged the disruption but stressed some programs, including NASA’s Artemis I

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