House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to help rescue the newspaper industry.
At least 10 big city newspapers facing the possibility of a shutdown could go totally online in the near future.
The at-risk papers include the one from her district. About three weeks ago Hearst Coportation, the owner of the San Francisco Chronicle, announced it might sell the paper or shut down completely if costs can't be cut dramatically.
According to Hearst, the Chronicle has been losing money since 2001.
Writers for the San Francisco newspaper say while they voted for the plan allowing for the layoffs, it's not a long term solution. They say they realize the need to change with the times.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer stopped printing a hard copy version of the newspaper and will only provide an online edition.
Pelosi sent a letter Monday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to consider the financial situation of newspapers when reviewing requests for mergers and take overs.
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"We must ensure that our policies enable our news organizations to survive and to engage in the news gathering and analysis that the American people expect," Pelosi wrote, according to the Chronicle.
There's no word on when the Chronicle will cut more jobs. The newspaper is working on a deal with The Brotherhood of Teamsters, its second-largest union.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, chaired by Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga will take up the issue of antitrust law and the future of newspapers soon, according to the Chronicle.
Pelosi represents California's 8th District, which includes San Francisco.
