making news in america this morning. >> final countdown, the president tells congress it's time to eat their ps. they'll try to come to have a trillion dollars closer. under investigation. is the tea party favorite and gop presidential front-runner trying to turn gay people straight? brian ross investigates. and staying together. the story of a special needs girl scout troop in texas and how they need your help. good morning. president obama and top lawmakers will be back at it this afternoon trying to resolve the debt crisis. >> the president has challenged lawmakers to come up with a fresh approach to sololng this problem. karen travers is joining us with

more. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning. president obama made it clear yesterday he wants a deal, he wants it quickly and lawmakers may have to make painful concessions but little indication that they progress was made. the stalemate over the deficit continues. today president obama sits down with deeply divided congressional leaders. he gave them a homework assignment, come back to the white house with a plan that increases the total deficit reduction from $1.7 trillion to $2.4 trillion. that figure could get republicans on board so long as tax increases aren't part of the deal. >> the house cannot pass a bill that raises taxes on job creator. >> reporter: he ruled out a measure to raise the debt ceiling. >> i will not sign a 30 or 60 or 90-day extension. it's going to get harder, not easier, so we might as well do it now.

pull off the band-aid. eat our peas. . >> reporter: the president is still pushing for a bigger deficit deal, $4 trillion in spending cuts and tax increases over the next decade. >> so, yeah, we're going to have a sales job. this is not pleasant. >> reporter: the clock is reaching to tick a deal. moody's has threatened to downgrade the credit rating before the government defaults. analysts warn americans will see an he'd effect. >> this is something we'll all feel. financial markets would rom over. something we'd all fear feel in our retirement contracts and the flow of credit could come to a screeching halt. >> reporter: but it's not just an american problem, a government default would send catastrophic ripples through the global economy. peggy and daniel? >> ramifications everywhere. why is the president pushing for that big deal when they can't seem to agree on any deal. >> reporter: the president sees this as an opportunity to get

something done, make a significant debt in the deficit. it doesn't get any easier down the road but peggy and daniel, everybody in washington has their eye os on the political calendar. next we're is the presidentntl year and every member of congress is up for re-election. it would be a lot harder if they did a short-term deal and do it all over agagn. the president doesn't want it to happen before election day and doesn't want a lame duck congress to deal with this. much better if they can get one that goes through early 20134 but at this point it's impossible to just get a deal. >> you heard him emphasize let's get this done, why delay the pain. abc's karen travers, thank you very much. >> the summer is here and the living ain't easy. blistering heat with nearly two dozen states under advisory or warnings. >> many shot into triple digits

shattering more record highs and the drought in texas and oklahoma is so severe ranchers are selling off c c because they don't have the pasture to feed them. >> fast-moving storms broke the heat in the midwest but not without damage. >> powerful winds left 850,000 customers without power across northern illinois. the highest number of outages in a decade and toppled trees, destroyed fields and caused hundreds of airport delays in chicago. >> while we're talking about weather, cooler in the midwest but the heat wave continues f fm texas to new england. pittsburgh, omaha and helena, montana, monsoon rains in the four corners region. showers in the pacific northwest which sounds great. scattered thunderstorms along the gulf coast and carolinas. >> and we're looking at a steamy 100 degrees in dallas and 90s frommer in all the way to boston. 88 in detroit, 79 in minneapolis and 93 degrees in kansas city. phoenix, a hot 102, boise, 91

and seattle, 69 degrees. >> there are stunning new allegations in the hacking scandal which vesseled the murdoch media empire. reporters are accused of accessing gordon brown's bank account information and stealing the medical records of his seriously ill baby song. >> the important thing to remember about this is they've left out their lives in the public realm so aware of limitations. but, you know, the invasion of their son's privacy which is very important here. >> reporters are also accused of paying queen elizabeth's bodyguards for secret information. potentially jeopardizing her safety. the u.s. says it wants to be compensated for damage done to the american embassy in syria. protesters smashed windows and sprayed graffiti over it angry the u.s. ambassador visited a city at the center of the opposition movement against the syrian president. the u.s. condemned it calling protesters thugs. there's a security breach at

one of the top military contractors. a hacker group claimed it stole tens of thousands of encrypted military passwords from booz allen hamiltonen. the company refused to comment but the pentagon says it was aware of it. a new crackdown on gun buyers on states that border mexico, new mexico, arizona and california will be required to alert the government when ray person purchases two or more semiautomatic weapons in a five-day period t comes amid heavy criticism over a failed federal gun tracing operation. passengers on an amtrak train say they felt like they were riding through a fireball after the train collided with a tractor trailer. it happened on the route between boston and portland. the train was moving at 70 miles per hour when it hit the truck. the driver was killed but no one on board the train was seriously injured, fortunately. well, talk about a shopping spree. this makes your big haul from costco maybe look like nothing. the international space station got a year's worth of groceries

delivered today courtesy of the astronauts on board "atlantis." take a look at this. >> it was delivered in a container the size of a bus hailing tons of housegood goods, extra fruit and extra jars of peanut butter. some things never change even in space. you don't want to be the one that puts the peanut b bter on board. >> p b's and js. coming up why amazon.com is taking on the state of california and also hoping that voters will join them in the battle. and catching derek jejer's 3,000th hit. priceless until the tax man cometh. what it might cost one lucky fan.

overseas markets are falling on fears that italy and spain may add to europe's debt christing. tokyo's nikkei average lost 144 points today. hong kong's hang seng is off 2.5%. in london the ftse opened lower. the dow sank 151 points yesterday and the index lost 57. amazon is fighting back in california. the retailing giant wants the state to repeal a new law that forces merchants to collect sales taxes for the golden spatat they filed a petition for a voter referendum. if you are paying g lot fo a car you're treated pretty well. a new survey says mercedes-benz

dealerships treat their customers the best. the top nonluxury dealers sold toyotas and chryslers, ram trucks. planning to go to the pacific northwest, don't e eect to hear a lot from washington state. it's the only state without its own tourism bureau and/or government funding for promotion. it's the fourth largest industry there and has been increasing until now. >> all right, it does seem that no good deed goes unthanked. the fan that hit jeter's 3,000th fan gave it to the captain in free. the yankees offered him season ticket, signed bats and more, tax experts say he may have to pay income taxes on those. >> i don't think he'll trade the experience. probably worth it. >> goes down in history. when we come back, why first lady michelle obama is getting beef over her recent order at a

burger joint. the home runs just keep flying at last night's home run derby. who hit the most? i'm just a piece of dust living at the corner of j and k, spending too many nights alone at the spacebar. will love ever find me? ♪ es! oh yes! ♪ what about love?! [ female announcer ] swiffer attracts dust. swiffer 360 dusters gets in hard to reach places. you're just my type! [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] swiffer gives cleaning a whole new meaning. so i wasn't playing much of a role in my own life, but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both

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many cars were damaged as high winds tore through the midwest yesterday. including this 1927 ford model t. >> this was totaled by a falling tree. the owner just fixed it up to hit the road this summerer. he said he left it outside because he was too tired to put it in the garage. >> a look tet road conditions. wet on i-70 from kansas city to columbus, ohio. i-80 from des moines to cheyenne and from rapidity to helena. rain soaks i-ho in tennessee, i-10 along the gulf coast and i-25 in the rockies. >> heading to the airport today, you could expect delays in boston, kansas city, new orleans

and miami. well, first lady michelle obama araising some eyebrows after she stopped at the shake shack. you can do that. mrs. obama ordered a burger, a fries and milk shake totaling 1,500 calories in that's because some says this goes against her anti-obesity campaign. she long has said everything in moderation including moderation and confessed to a weakness for french fries and who among us doesn't have that? >> if you can say you never can have them again that's all you want. michele bachmann has risen to the top of the polls. there is controversy over the center that she and her husband run. >> undercover video was taken inside the center after her husband denied he tries to cure gay people. abc's brian ross investigators now. >> reporter: michele bachmann tells supporters her husband marcus has been the key to her 33 years of happy marriage.

>> i have a very big advantage because marcus has his ph.d. in counseling and he is a marriage counselor. >> reporter: but his brand of counsel something highly controversial and could become a campaign issue. >> here's my husband. >> reporter: operating out of suburban minneapolis he runs a christian counseling firm co-owned with his wife that at times according to former patients has try odd convert gay men into heterosexuals through prayer. >> his path for my therapy would be to read the bible and pray that -- pray to g g that i would no longer be gay. >> reporter: andrew was 17 when his family sent him there where he says a counselor working there tried to save him from his sin. dr. bachmann denied as a false

statement five years ago reports his clinic tries to convert gay men to straight. but undercover video shot just last month inside the clinic by a gay advocacy group seems to show some form of the practice is indeed offered. >> the truth is god, god has designed, he designed our eyes to be attracted to the woman, to the woman's body. to be attracted to, you know, everything, you know. to be a aracted to her breasts. >> reporter: a member told them about feelings towards men and asked if he could be rid of his urges through therapy and prayer. >> i think it's possible to be totally to you. >> reporter: asked about our report, michele bachmann would only say she was proud of the clinic. >> we're very proud of her business and all job creator in the united states. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news, the campaign said the bachmanns' clinic offers a variety of servivis but it could

not comment on any specific treatment including the so-called gay-to-straight therapy. brian ross, abc news. new york, a florida mother and her boyfriend are onrial after hi pet python killed the woman's 2-year-old daughter. the snake escaped and prosecutors say it had not been fed for a month and it was not kept in a secure enclosure. >> horrible story. a texas rangers fan who fell to his death from the stands last week has been laid to rest. funeral services were held tore 39-year-old shannon stone. more than a thousand people attended including many of his fellow firefighters and several members of the rangers. stone's 6-year-old was with him when he plugged 20 feet while catching a ball tossed to him by one of the players. well, staying with sports but shifting gears, here's don bell at espn news with a look at last night's home run derby. good morning, i'm don bell with your espn news update. balls flying out of the yard in

arizona. major league baseball's home run derby. in phoenix, robinson cano, well, the yankees had his dad pitching to him jose pitch with the astros. big fly. he finished the first round with eight. after tying with five home runs, matt holliday, prince fielelr had the final two spots with david ortiz. adrian gonzalez and cano in the fifil round of the derby, gonzalez, are you serious? into the pool it goes. chececthis fan out. time for adult swim. jumped right in with the glove. gonzalez finishes with 11. now for the man of the hour, cano, digs in, goes out, way out, tied gonzalez with 11. that one 472 feet, a you go from his dad before this, get up and get gone. that is the winner, 12 in the

final round for him. dad is proud, robinson cano, your home run derby champion. and so we take a look at the time two contestants and robinson cano with a record 32 home runs, he had a record 12 in that final round as you see right there. it always comes down to the yankees and red sox and it does here, once again at the home run derby. that i i the very latest from te sports scene. i'm don bell. well, a marine serving in afghanistan just proves that all you have to do is ask and you shall receive. >> you just never know. sergrgnt scott moore posted a youtube invited "black swan" star mila kunis to attend. with the urging of his co-star justin timberlake she said yes. >> worthy date. i think that's great. coming up next the stories

we'll follow later on today from the friends and dig thatties who say good-bye to betty ford. "atlantis" astronauts.ask of the we'll be right back. to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about pristiq -- a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain -- serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nset pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease,

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president obama presents sergeant first class derow arthur petrie for a valor of honor medical. he lost his right hand while tossing an enemy grenade away from soldiers. betty ford's funeral today and among those delivering eulogy, rosalynn carter. she will be floeng to michigan where she will be buried along side her husband. jaycee dugard's memoir "a stolen life" is released today talking about her 18-year captivity. the final space walk of the shuttle era. two astnauts are venturing out to fix a pump outdecide the international space station. a piece of space junk heading towards "atlantis" is no longer a threat. whew? >> good thing. for some of you local news is coming up next. for everybody else a story of a very special girl scout troop that needs your help. can i have some ice cream, please ?

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next on "abc 7 news," they have apologized pg&e says they don't have to pay residents to the damage done by the pipeline explosion. >> and san mateo fires didn't even have to leave their first fire station to respond to one overnight car accident. what police say led to the unusual scene. there is a lot of drizzle out this morning. finally the girl scouts are known for doing good deed answer helping others. >> but now a very special group of girl scouts needs help of their own.

our affiliate ktrk reports. >> reporter: meet girl scout troop 29. >> this is the only group that has special needs. >> women between 40 and 50 but their brains fumg as though they're just 5 to 10 years old. >> little bitty at thes. >> reporter: their leader created it in 1976. >> 35 years ago. >> reporter: you're still here. >> i'm still here. >> reporter: she started with a handful of special needs girls including her own daughter kathy. >> learning things and doing crafts and learning to be social, that is very important. >> reporter: now her own health issues are forcing her to step aside and find a replacement. >> i want someone that can love them as much as i do. unless there is someone to step up, it will be hard toeep on going. >> we need help. >> reporter: kathleen is leading the quest, someone who can teach

them simple crafts, take them camping, sing with them or just sit and talk with them. >> it makes them feel that they're regular girls. >> this is my 35-year pin. >> reporter: to r rruit someone as passionate and devoted to special needs women as charlotte sewell will be difficult. >> they need to be here for the long term, not someone who is here just for a few months. nsistency is important. the girls need someone that they can bond with and they can trust and they can recognizehen they come into the building. >> reporter: but the future of troop 21 and these girl scouts depends on it. >> incidentally if you live in houston and are having called girl scouts at 713-292-0300 of san jacinto. >> that is what is making news in america. stay tuned for "good morning america" and have a great tuesday. >> try to stay cool out there.