CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Over the past three years, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has attended fewer than half the hearings held by the veterans affairs committee where he now serves as the top Republican, an analysis by a North Carolina newspaper shows.

The GOP named the North Carolina senator last week as the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs in place of embattled and departing Idaho Sen. Larry Craig.

Burr, who has attended 20 of the 44 live hearings, doesn't have the worst attendance of committee members, according to the analysis by The Charlotte Observer. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., showed up only two times between the start of 2005 and May 16, 2007, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., attended three times, the newspaper said.

Craig, who has announced his intention to resign after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with an airport sex sting, had the best attendance, attending all but one hearing.

Burr pointed out that he serves on five committees and serves as the ranking Republican on the subcommittees for national parks and health care.

"Every day is a choice for us," Burr told the Observer. "We do a very good job of selecting based on the topic."

As the ranking Republican on the veterans affairs committee, Burr will decide which legislation to support or challenge, propose alternatives to Democratic bills and recommend witnesses for hearings. But last week, in his first meeting in his new position, Burr had to leave briefly to attend the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, which was discussing the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina.

Lawmakers are marked as attending even if they stay only a few moments at a hearing. In its tally, the Observer counted only oversight and fact-finding hearings that issue reports, not joint meetings with other committees or hearings where lawmakers could vote by proxy.

Burr said he will always attend hearings that has state-specific issues or matters of particular interest. His staff always attends and Burr will submit a proxy if the committee is holding votes.

Dennis Cullinan, national legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said Burr still shows that he's engaged with the issues, having attended a reception for veterans last week.