For the 11th consecutive month, the unemployment picture in Florida has shown some light.

But because the federal government continues to struggle with its budget, the state’s unemployment improvements in the past year could suffer a setback later this year.

Rebecca Rust, Agency for Workforce Innovation’s chief economist, said the forecast from the Economic Estimating Conference is for Florida’s unemployment rate to go back to 11 percent by the end of this year, returning to 10.6 percent at the end of 2012.

“Overall, the optimism has been pulled back by some degree,” Rust said of the nation’s economic outlook. “I think they do expect, due to the budget constraints at the national level, for deficit reduction goals that will impact the federal funds that do come in to the state of Florida, so there will be some short-term impacts.”

She noted that in addition to low consumer confidence and the European debt crises shaking U.S. markets, Florida's economy could be hurt by declines in defense spending as operations are scaled back in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Florida's unemployment rate in August held steady for the third month at 10.7 percent, according to numbers released Friday by the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, stated the monthly numbers indicate Florida continues to be moving in the “right direction” in terms of how government operates to create jobs.

“Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature have already taken significant steps in the right direction by lowering taxes, balancing the state’s budget, streamlining regulations and reorganizing Florida’s economic development functions,” Wilson stated in a news release. “With additional education and legal reforms, Florida can and will once again lead the nation in private-sector job creation.”