"It's been blessed by the leadership as the vehicle they see taking to the Senate floor, " says Alden Meyer, director of Strategy and Policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists, referring to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer, D-Ca.

FORBES: Getting Warmer

It's also likely Democratic leadership will reward Jeffords with the chairmanship of the powerful Environment and Public Works Committee, which handles environmental policy and the building of highways, dams and other public projects.

CNN: Jeffords' economic impact

The significance of the new working groups, which cover public services, economic competitiveness, security, the environment and energy, the role of the state and foreign policy, is twofold.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot