Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Dennis Hastert (R-IL) walks from a meeting between Congressional leaders, senators and U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) at the White House in Washington December 6, 2004. U.S. lawmakers said on Monday they reached a deal to end a month-long standoff on legislation overhauling the nation's spy agencies, settling a dispute over the Pentagon (news - web sites)'s power under the post-September 11, 2001 reforms. REUTERS/Jason Reed