Earlier this week, accused Libyan terrorist Abu Anas al Liby pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of conspiring to kill Americans. What’s most notable about that was not the “what” but the “where.” Al Liby was captured overseas, interrogated aboard a military vessel and not sent to Guantanamo. In this week’s Legal Loop segment is military law expert Sterling DeRamus of the law firm Tully Rinckey.

The top line: Congress passes a bill to reopen the government. The president has signed it into law. Federal employees: you are due back to work today. Now we’ll dig a bit deeper into the midnight political maneuvering and what could be ahead with Billy House. He’s the congressional correspondent at the National Journal.

Agencies will spend less on information technology over the next decade. That could make it harder to meet the ever-growing needs of citizens and businesses. The TechAmerica Foundation’s latest survey and analysis of federal IT spending shows many agency chief information officers expect a grim decade. Federal News Radio’s Jason Miller has details and analysis of TechAmerica Foundation’s 49th annual IT forecast.

A dozen years ago, the Army determined it needed a way to speed up the cumbersome DoD acquisition process so it could give quick answers to battlefield problems in Afghanistan. And so the Rapid Equipping Force was born. But that organization says even as the U.S. comes down off of a wartime footing, the lessons it’s helped the military learn about rapid acquisition are as important as ever. Colonel Steve Sliwa is the director of the “REF.” He tells Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter Jared Serbu there’s plenty of work for his organization to do after 2014.

Making the government more efficient through advances in information technology — that’s “Igniting Innovation.” ACT-IAC is recognizing the pioneers in this field with a new award. They’re accepting nominations now through Nov. 15. The top 30 innovative solutions will be featured at a showcase here in Washington on Feb. 6. Chris Smith is program chair of ACT-IAC’s Igniting Innovation 2014 Showcase and Awards.

The federal government is open today, and that has some government contractor employees asking the question: What about me? Do I return to work as well? With insight on the protocols that need to be met is Roger Waldron, president of the Coalition for Government Procurement. Read more.