"The EU is also a large chunk of the research capability of this planet," Mike agreed, "and we will probably need research agreements sooner than later anyway. Having a proposal for coalition and cooperation will go better on the Hill." They would need emergency spending to supplement the budget they inherited from the previous administration, but that was another conversation for a different meeting. Here, they were concerned with optics. 

Mike's job, of course, as Chief of Staff was to take point on the Hill, territory he knew from serving on there. His hand, almost of its own accord, was jotting notes that would come in handy there, "JOBS" "TECHNOLOGY TRAINING," and, to perhaps assuage conservatives, "WE NEED ENV. ENGINEERS NOT PHILOSOPHERS."

Mike was quietly grateful that Bill brought up cooperation and hammered home the point. As the Democrat in the room, he wanted to make sure to step lightly on his beliefs and save it for when he needed it. His job was to help the president manage his white house and push the agenda of the United States and, by extension, all of humanity forward at a critical juncture in their collective history. Mistakes would potentially mean species annihilation.