02/04/2014 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

Stay with us. More on that to come. We will of course bring you the

latest on the situation. Mike Embley will be here in under 20 minutes.

Now for ABC News, as seen in the US a couple of hours ago, with Diane

Sawyer. Tonight, demanding answers. Families

of crash victims hold photos of loved ones who died as they

questioned the head of General Motors. We will do the right thing.

The new CEO tries to defend her company to Congress. The apology,

American bishops under fire for lavish spending. Will the Pope

crackdown? Thousands of firefighters stream into Boston as a football

star helps on the courage he witnessed first hand.

And neighbourhood secrets. Please go in search of orders in the

neighbourhood. A new way to turn homes like this into this.

`` horders. Good evening. We begin with a

powerful drama unfolding today. American families demanding answers

from the biggest car company in the nation. They are families who lost

loved ones in crashes linked to faulty ignitions. Congress have put

the new head of the company in the hot seat.

With photos of their lost loved ones in hand, family members of General

Motors crash victims made their way to Capitol Hill seeking answers. We

are the voice of our daughter. Jane came here because her 18`year`old

daughter Natasha was killed along with a 15`year`old with this car's

ignition failed on a Wisconsin Road in 2006. The power shutdown, the

steering wheel locked. There were no brakes. At least 13 deaths have been

linked to the faulty ignitions which is, which can turn off power

unexpectedly. Any of the crash victims were young people driving

their first car. Mary is a GM veteran who recently took over as

CEO. Today she faced Congress. Today's GM will do the right thing.

That begins with my sincere apologies, especially the families

and friends who lost their lives or were injured. But she was pressed on

why the company decided for nearly one decade that fixing the ignition

was too expensive. Documents provided by GM showed that this

unacceptable cost increase was only 57 cents. Is the company

responsible? Does GM accept responsibility for the accidents

caused by the company's defective vehicles? We apologise for what has

happened and we are doing an investigation. It has recalled

around 2.6 million cars with faulty ignitions. You claim this has never

crossed your desk in the past decade. How do you explain this to

the families? Is a specific group that goes through and looks at it

when it is an incident `` when there is an incident and I was never part

of that. There is no amount of money that can replace my daughter but I

want justice. We saw a familiar face announced today, someone to help on

the story. GM has hired a well`known disaster response person, who helped

set up the victim response after 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing

and he is a very well`known name in that space. Thank you Rebecca for

reporting in. Also today, President Obama took a victory lap, a deadline

to sign up for Obamakm/h. 7 million Americans in role and be the goal

the White House set. The president declared this healthcare law is here

today. Our correspondent was in the Rose Garden and he tells us what

happened next. 7.1 million Americans have signed up

for private insurance plans. It looks like a victory celebration and

the beginning of a new campaign. The debate over repealing this law is

over and the Affordable Care Act is here to stay. A surge of signups

around the country and online help the White House exceed even its own

expectations. While 7.1 million and counting have signed up, there are

still big unanswered questions. How many of those signing up were

previously uninsured? And, how many signed up after loans were cancelled

because of Obamacare? How many are young and healthy? The White House a

big pitch to get young people must because if not enough of them in

role, premiums will go up. Republicans have not backed off and

argued again today that Obamacare is killing jobs and costing the public.

In the four years since the act was passed, when it comes to healthcare,

this is the best day the Democrats have had.

Thank you. Now we had to Washington State with the epic mudslide.

Satellite images tonight. The devastation from space. Forests and

homes wiped off the map and lives have been shattered. Our

correspondent takes us inside the pictures to show us what the rescue

teams are fighting. Driving into this zone is like

entering a wasteland. Chaos as far as you can see. We are taken to the

last shred of this highway still standing, along where one of the

worst landslide in history in the US came through. We have been trying to

identify anything recognisable. It is all bunched up together. We are

warned not to step into the debris and not to touch anything or we will

have to be decontaminated. The mud is 80 feet deep in some places. They

have made their own sidewalks with wood to get through here to be able

to walk through without sinking into the mud. Before we leave, up on a

ridge line there is the reminder that all this used to be a

neighbourhood. I looked down and I noticed this, even in the distance,

a muddied family photo. 27 have died and the painstaking work to find the

rest goes on. We want to tell you about new

frustrations tonight in the search for the missing passenger plane. The

International search team co`ordinator admitted they had no

idea if they were looking in the right place. They aren't sure of the

final altitude, speed or direction. The last words from the COP it

changed today also. `` cockpit. It said the co`pilot never said these

words: he actually said, good night Malaysian 370. We want to say we

heard from so many of you about our report on the hidden heroes caring

for wounded warriors as they come home from the long wars. 1 million

caregivers who need a. Elizabeth Dole is heading a mission to help

them and she stood with some of the caregivers, including Jessica Klein

who unit last night. Her husband bravely injured leading in

Afghanistan. Action from Senator Patty Murray who said she will

introduce a Bill to expand support for caregivers. They don't want to

talk about themselves. They are the hidden person behind a hero. They

are the heroes. Tonight, the pressure is on. Pope Francis told

his clergy to live simply a year ago. The night, two bishops are

trying to apologise for big homes and a pool paid for with money

intended to help the work of the parish. Our correspondent tells us

more. Holy expensive. This $2.2 million

home is the new residence for the Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta and

across the church they are furious. I think it is inappropriate. It is a

far cry from the simple life reached by the Pope and among other things

it has two dining rooms, an elevator and an eight Burma gas stove. One of

the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the country, and today there is response

to the flood of complaints calling it a personal failure and offering

to move out and sell the home. Pope Francis removed a German Bishop

who spent $43 million on a new residence. No word if the Vatican

plans to send suggestions to Atlanta. They should give it to

charity before they built a beautiful house. Parishioners are

withholding donations in New Jersey after harsh Bishop John Myers spent

half $1 million on his home. `` Archbishop. He feels the criticism

is grossly unfair. Next, we want to tell you about a seismic change

under way in ordinary American life. Something that was a staple in

American refrigerators is disappearing, soda. The number of

Americans drinking it has plummeted, down 3%. It might not be much, but

it is hundreds of millions of bottles fewer. It is not only the

sugar, what is happening? Our correspondent reports.

And American icon is losing its grip on the nation's consumers. More

mothers bypassing this aisle. I look in your basket and I don't see soda.

We do not drink soda. The average American drank a 51 gallon bathtubs

filtered soda in 1998 and today we drink nearly 20% less, only 44

gallons a year. I grew up with soda in our house and I would drink 2`3

cans each day. This mother of three, who we met at a yoga class, says the

rules have changed for her kids. We won't have soda in the house. It

gets worse, diet soda is losing market share even faster, down 6% in

2013. Despite government assurances, diet soda are safe to drink. I

thought about diet soda but I recently heard studies that indicate

that artificial sweeteners aren't healthy. The industry admits it was

a bad year both Coca`Cola and Pepsi made clear their businesses are

diverse and they are major players in the bottled water, sports drink,

tea and coffee lines. All of these are growing.

Tonight, a pilgrimage under way as thousands had to a great American

city who is still the result has been tested yet again, Boston, and

firefighters killed in the line of duty. Their brothers are coming

together to let that city knows a not alone. Our correspondent is that

with the outpouring. `` they are not alone. Thousands

from around the country and the world are pouring into Boston,

lining up to pay their respect. Remember, two of their own. This

captain travelled from Los Angeles. The fire service has been a

brotherhood and a sisterhood and we come out to keep that going and show

our respect. The city of Boston watching the valiant fight on

Wednesday. Inside the inferno, 33`year`old Michael Kennedy and

former Marine, and 43`year`old Lieutenant Colonel Wood Walsh Juno,

married and a father of three. Their actions would save everyone in that

4`storey building but they became trapped in the basement. It is tough

to talk about it most times. When you ask how you doing, both men

break down. One witness, Tom Brady, who lives doors away, says he saw

true courage. Today, a mountain of flowers. At the

church, the line of firefighters goes on for miles. They are here to

pay their respects and to support a city that is still healing from the

Maritime bombings. A city in mourning. And often strong.

Both men will be awarded the medal of power from the firefighters of

the city, posse must flee. At next, secrets in the neighbourhood as

police target hoarders hiding behind the door and a new kind of hope,

turning homes from this into this `` posse