House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending a vote by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to release a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

The memo purports to show improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia probe.

Ryan told reporters Tuesday that "there may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals." He said there should be "transparency" on the issue.

The committee voted to release the four-page memo on Monday. It could become public in the next few days.

The memo has become a political flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and many Republicans pushing for its release and suggesting that some in the Justice Department and FBI have conspired against the president.

Meanwhile, Ryan says he's looking forward to President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday night and called the State of the Union "bright."

Washington, D.C. - 30 January 2018

1. Wide of Republican leaders at podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"What's OK's to follow the process as the process is laid out. That's precisely what is happening. I would remind you that the Democrats tried blocking the rest of the members of Congress from even having access to the memo that the majority wrote. Yesterday the majority voted to provide access to the Democrats' memo."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"First, there are legitimate questions about whether an American's civil liberties were violated by the FISA (United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) process. We are the legislative branch of government. It is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch in case any powers were abused and civil liberties are abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitimate issue here as to whether or not an American civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. We are the legislative branch of government. it is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch, in case any powers were abused and civil liberties were abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitmate issue her as to whether or not an American's civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. That's point number one. Point number two. This is a Paul Ryan: completely separate matter from Bob Mueller's investigation and his investigation should be allowed to take its course. Point number three, there may have been malfeasance by people at the FBI. And let me just let me finish my points. There may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals. So it is our job in conducting transparent oversight of the executive branch to get to the bottom of that. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. And so what we want is all of this information to come out so that transparency can reign supreme and accountability can occur. There's a fourth point I want to make and that is the institution of the DOJ (Department of Justice.Paul Ryan: Of the FBI is a very important institution for American life is a very important institution for keeping the rule of law intact."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"On a positive note, I'm excited to hear President Trump's state of the Union address tonight. And honestly the state of the Union is looking up. It's really encouraging to be able to come and hear an upbeat tone at a State of the Union this week 20th of these that I've sat in and I've got to tell you, to be able to hear a State of the Union as bright as it is right now is something that's very encouraging. Wages are rising, economic confidence is coming back to America, tax reform is the law of the land and it is playing a huge role in this transformation. As Steve just mentioned, just yesterday we heard from another major employer about investing another 50 billion dollars into this economy because of tax reform. Just a couple of weeks from now, 90 percent of American workers, 90 percent of American wage earners earners are going to see their paychecks get bigger as the IRS' new withholding tables are put into effect in February. This is a big deal."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"So we're very excited. Economic confidence in America is at a 17-year-high while unemployment in America is at a 17-year-low. These are good things. This is a big deal for Americans across the country. We've got a lot more work to do and I'm looking forward to President Trump's speech tonight to find the way forward and get get more done for the American people in 2018."

6. Ryan and others walk out of room

House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending a vote by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to release a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

The memo purports to show improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia probe.

Ryan told reporters Tuesday that "there may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals." He said there should be "transparency" on the issue.

The committee voted to release the four-page memo on Monday. It could become public in the next few days.

The memo has become a political flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and many Republicans pushing for its release and suggesting that some in the Justice Department and FBI have conspired against the president.

Meanwhie, Ryan says he's looking forward to President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday night and called the State of the Union "bright."

Washington - 30 January 2018

1. Wide of Republican leaders at podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"What's OK's to follow the process as the process is laid out. That's precisely what is happening. I would remind you that the Democrats tried blocking the rest of the members of Congress from even having access to the memo that the majority wrote. Yesterday the majority voted to provide access to the Democrats' memo."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"First, there are legitimate questions about whether an American's civil liberties were violated by the FISA (United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) process. We are the legislative branch of government. It is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch in case any powers were abused and civil liberties are abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitimate issue here as to whether or not an American civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. We are the legislative branch of government. it is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch, in case any powers were abused and civil liberties were abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitmate issue her as to whether or not an American's civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. That's point number one. Point number two. This is a Paul Ryan: completely separate matter from Bob Mueller's investigation and his investigation should be allowed to take its course. Point number three, there may have been malfeasance by people at the FBI. And let me just let me finish my points. There may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals. So it is our job in conducting transparent oversight of the executive branch to get to the bottom of that. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. And so what we want is all of this information to come out so that transparency can reign supreme and accountability can occur. There's a fourth point I want to make and that is the institution of the DOJ (Department of Justice.Paul Ryan: Of the FBI is a very important institution for American life is a very important institution for keeping the rule of law intact."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"On a positive note, I'm excited to hear President Trump's state of the Union address tonight. And honestly the state of the Union is looking up. It's really encouraging to be able to come and hear an upbeat tone at a State of the Union this week 20th of these that I've sat in and I've got to tell you, to be able to hear a State of the Union as bright as it is right now is something that's very encouraging. Wages are rising, economic confidence is coming back to America, tax reform is the law of the land and it is playing a huge role in this transformation. As Steve just mentioned, just yesterday we heard from another major employer about investing another 50 billion dollars into this economy because of tax reform. Just a couple of weeks from now, 90 percent of American workers, 90 percent of American wage earners earners are going to see their paychecks get bigger as the IRS' new withholding tables are put into effect in February. This is a big deal."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"So we're very excited. Economic confidence in America is at a 17 year high while unemployment in America is at a 17 year low. These are good things. This is a big deal for Americans across the country. We've got a lot more work to do and I'm looking forward to President Trump's speech tonight to find the way forward and get get more done for the American people in 2018."

6. Ryan and others walk out of room

House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending a vote by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to release a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

The memo purports to show improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia probe.

Ryan told reporters Tuesday that "there may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals." He said there should be "transparency" on the issue.

The committee voted to release the four-page memo on Monday. It could become public in the next few days.

The memo has become a political flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and many Republicans pushing for its release and suggesting that some in the Justice Department and FBI have conspired against the president.

Meanwhie, Ryan says he's looking forward to President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday night and called the State of the Union "bright."

Washington - 30 January 2018

1. Wide of Republican leaders at podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"What's OK's to follow the process as the process is laid out. That's precisely what is happening. I would remind you that the Democrats tried blocking the rest of the members of Congress from even having access to the memo that the majority wrote. Yesterday the majority voted to provide access to the Democrats' memo."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"First, there are legitimate questions about whether an American's civil liberties were violated by the FISA (United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) process. We are the legislative branch of government. It is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch in case any powers were abused and civil liberties are abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitimate issue here as to whether or not an American civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. We are the legislative branch of government. it is our job to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people of the executive branch, in case any powers were abused and civil liberties were abused by the executive branch. So there's a very legitmate issue her as to whether or not an American's civil liberties were violated in the FISA process. That's point number one. Point number two. This is a Paul Ryan: completely separate matter from Bob Mueller's investigation and his investigation should be allowed to take its course. Point number three, there may have been malfeasance by people at the FBI. And let me just let me finish my points. There may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals. So it is our job in conducting transparent oversight of the executive branch to get to the bottom of that. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. And so what we want is all of this information to come out so that transparency can reign supreme and accountability can occur. There's a fourth point I want to make and that is the institution of the DOJ (Department of Justice.Paul Ryan: Of the FBI is a very important institution for American life is a very important institution for keeping the rule of law intact."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"On a positive note, I'm excited to hear President Trump's state of the Union address tonight. And honestly the state of the Union is looking up. It's really encouraging to be able to come and hear an upbeat tone at a State of the Union this week 20th of these that I've sat in and I've got to tell you, to be able to hear a State of the Union as bright as it is right now is something that's very encouraging. Wages are rising, economic confidence is coming back to America, tax reform is the law of the land and it is playing a huge role in this transformation. As Steve just mentioned, just yesterday we heard from another major employer about investing another 50 billion dollars into this economy because of tax reform. Just a couple of weeks from now, 90 percent of American workers, 90 percent of American wage earners earners are going to see their paychecks get bigger as the IRS' new withholding tables are put into effect in February. This is a big deal."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:

"So we're very excited. Economic confidence in America is at a 17 year high while unemployment in America is at a 17 year low. These are good things. This is a big deal for Americans across the country. We've got a lot more work to do and I'm looking forward to President Trump's speech tonight to find the way forward and get get more done for the American people in 2018."

6. Ryan and others walk out of room