Sen. Richard Blumenthal is pushing back on massive staffing cuts at the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and firearms.

The change will make it harder to carry out U.S. gun laws, he said.

"These laws are not self-enforcing," said Sen. Blumenthal. "If the Trump administration eliminates two thirds of the law enforcement officials in the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responsible for those laws, it will make those laws dead letter. And that's why I will be fighting to make sure that the resources for enforcement of our gun violence prevention laws."

According to Sen. Blumenthal, the move will reduce the federal government's capacity to identify businesses that sell guns to people with criminal records.