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Only a few weeks ago the plan, which critics say will drain money from public education but supporters insist will offer positive choices for parents with children in dysfunctional schools, had been pulled from the D.C. appropriations bill because of the threat of a Democrat fili- buster. But it was resurrected when a grid- locked Congress had to resort to a catch- all spending bill incorporating seven unpassed appropriations bills dealing with domestic spending. The Democrats are reluctant to filibuster a spending bill needed to keep vital programs run- ning; this week, the bill's last hurdles involved. pro- visions easing reporting requirements for gun Cohen purchases, not vouchers. Jewish pro-voucher groups, primarily in the Orthodox community, say final passage will be just the first step in a much wider acceptance of vouchers and other plans for aiding parochial school parents; Jewish opponents fear the same thing. "It's very disappointing that a bill that can't pass the Senate on its own power is now going to be foisted on us by inclu- sion in the omnibus bill," said Richard Foltin, legislative director for the American Jewish Committee, which opposes voucher plans. "We and others urged a 'no' vote on the D.C. appropria- tions bill if it included vouchers; but that becomes much more difficult when you're dealing with a large portion of the federal budget." But Nathan Diarnent, the Orthodox Union's -Washington representative, said the strategy of putting the controversial voucher plan in the omnibus was a smart one. "It's clear that no matter how some want to kill it, they will not be able to mount a successful filibuster of an omnibus," he said. With the 2002 Supreme Court ruling affirming the constitutionality of Cleveland's voucher program, passage of D.C. vouchers — by whatever means — could be a major step toward expanding voucher programs nationally. The next steps: "To incorporate the voucher approach in other, specialized federal programs such as remedial education and special education," said Abba Cohen, Washington director for Agudath Israel of America. 'Also, to explore other methods of school choice to complement vouchers, such as 'education scholarship organiza- tions' that provide tax benefits to individ- ual and corporate contributors to entities that provide funding for both public and private school children." Cohen said final approval of the meas- ure will give momentum to efforts in many states to pass their own voucher programs. Mass. Decision - Jewish groups reacted predictably to last week's Massachusetts Supreme Court rul- ing that the state can't outlaw gay unions. But there was a surprising undertone; many Jewish activists say it would be a mistake for the community to get involved in a partisan free-for-all that will distract the nation from more pressing issues. "It's going to play out huge in the election," said an official with a major Jewish group here. "It's going to be all-out partisan warfare. And it's g oing to be a big distrac- tion from the things we should be talking about, like the war on terror and Bauer the debate over tax and spending policies." The Massachusetts decision energized conservatives who want to pass a consti- tutional amendment banning same-sex marriages — something many say is nec- essary to prevent further setbacks to their cause in the courts. The Orthodox Union and Agudath Israel of America agree. The two groups submitted a brief in the Massachusetts case opposing same-sex marriage, and both will support the accelerating effort to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage, although the OU has