WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Hampshire’s two U.S. senators split their votes on the release of an additional $350 billion in federal financial bailout money, and they also bucked their own political parties.

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, in her first major vote as a senator, opposed President-elect Barack Obama by voting for a resolution that would have blocked the release of the funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The resolution failed, 52-42, allowing the release of the funds.

Shaheen was among only nine Democratic senators to vote to block the funds.

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg was among only six Republicans to favor release of the funds by voting against the resolution.

Shaheen said the government has already spent $350 billion in on the program, “and before we agree to an additional $350 billion, I believe taxpayers deserve a full accounting of the money already spent and to know whether the program is working.”

She said separate legislation “to enhance transparency and taxpayer protections” is necessary before releasing additional money.

“This use of taxpayer money should be held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and I believe the TARP program fails to meet those standards,” she said.

Gregg said he understood public concern about the TARP program, but said the $350 billion already released “has been a critical step toward helping to stabilize our financial markets and preventing a catastrophic collapse of our economy.”

He said the economy remains in “significant danger, and the financial system is going to continue to face rough times ahead. It is therefore essential that the incoming administration has the flexibility and the resources necessary for addressing severe crises that could devastate our financial system.”

Gregg also said that the Obama administration has promised to be “more transparent and accountable with how it invests TARP funds and has laid out some guidelines for what it intends to do with these resources, including additional focus on foreclosure mitigation.”