American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger expressed relief after a 16-day partial shutdown of the U.S. government came to an end at midnight. The shutdown had idled thousands of Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Offices throughout the country and threatened to suspend disability payments to veterans at the end of this month. “On behalf of our nation’s veterans, I am thankful that the U.S. government has reopened,” Dellinger said. “The American Legion and all veterans were certainly difference-makers in this temporary resolution. Veterans, members of the U.S.