Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said he was continuing to oversee the investigation of former national security adviser Susan Rice over claims she "unmasked" names of U.S. citizens incidentally included in surveillance reports of President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, The Hill reported Friday.

Nunes faced criticism for continuing to lead the House Intelligence Committee following his recusal last month from its investigation into Russia's meddling with U.S. elections. His recusal was due to an ethics probe concerning whether or not he divulged classified information. He said the Rice investigation was "just beginning."

"I remain very concerned about it," Nunes said. "We're going to have to have some major changes to federal law as it relates to how intelligence is collected and who can unmask that intelligence."

When the revelations of "unmasking" became public, Rice, who served in the administration of former President Barack Obama, maintained the procedure was "not uncommon" and "absolutely not for any political purpose, to spy, expose, anything."

Nunes said despite his recusal on the Russia investigation, he was "still read into everything," but was "going to set the Russia investigation aside" until "these bogus charges against me" were resolved.