Cruz said he spoke with both McConnell and Trump this past week about his proposal, which he argued would improve and strengthen background checks while protecting Second Amendment rights.
When Stephanopoulos asked Cruz about proposals to expand background checks to private sales, Cruz argued that Democratic proposals were a slippery slope towards gun confiscation.
"If you have a federal government background check for (private transactions), what you will see the next step to be is the only way to enforce that is a federal gun registry and a gun registry is the step you need for gun confiscation," he said.
Cruz voiced opposition to Democrats' proposals for gun control, including that of former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who has called for mandatory gun buybacks.
"The federal government should not be confiscating guns from law-abiding citizens," Cruz said.
Meanwhile, over on Twitter:
Beto O’Rourke tweeted:
Credit cards have enabled many of America’s mass shootings in the last decade—and with Washington unwilling to act, they need to cut off the sales of weapons of war today.
and...
Banks and credit card companies must:
1 Refuse to take part in the sale of assault weapons.
2 Stop processing transactions for gun sales online & at gun shows without background checks.
3 Stop doing business with gun & ammo manufacturers who produce or sell assault weapons