The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that eight American senators have joined a campaign by politicians and publishers to tout the virtues of U.S. community newspapers. The Globe's Brent Jang writes the move comes as the U.S. Department of Commerce prepares to announce its decision Tuesday on whether to impose countervailing duties against Canadian newsprint. The senators warn that U.S. newspapers, especially those in towns and small cities, would be hurt by duties if the department decides to punish Canadian producers of newsprint and other types of uncoated groundwood paper. "Uncoated groundwood paper demand is in steady decline in both the United States and Canada. It is market erosion, not unfair trade, causing today's competitive turmoil and job losses in the newsprint and commercial printing sectors," the eight senators said in their the letter sent on Thursday to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. The group joins a wide range of senators and members of the House of Representatives who have sided with newspaper publishers instead of newsprint producer Norpac, which claims that Canadian producers like Resolute Forest are unfairly subsidized.