Washington (CNN) Education Secretary Betsy DeVos signaled on Friday that she does not plan to take action over the purchase of guns for schools using federal funds.

In a letter to Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, DeVos wrote, "Let me be clear: I have no intention of taking any action concerning the purchase of firearms or firearms training for school staff under the ESEA," a reference to federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds.

The letter, which was posted to a Twitter account for the Education Department's press secretary, is dated Aug. 31.

DeVos wrote that there is " 'substantial flexibility' in how school districts use these funds" and that "Congress did not authorize me or the Department to make those decisions. As I have stated publicly on numerous occasions since I was nominated for this position, I will not legislate via fiat from the Department."

Earlier this month, the Trump administration pushed back on a New York Times report that DeVos was looking into a plan that would allow states to use federal funding to buy firearms for teachers.

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