(FORTUNE Magazine) – ROBERT C. BYRD, 70, who is stepping down as the Senate's Majority Leader, on that institution: ''It isn't meant to rubber-stamp the President or to be a second House of Representatives. It isn't meant to be efficient.''

ROBERT BENSON, 45, a Chicago patent attorney, on the issuance of the first U.S. patent for a genetically engineered animal, a mouse: ''Think of the Chihuahua as descended from the primordial wolf, which shows we have been doing the best we can. Now we just have better technology.''

SIR JOHN EGAN, 48, chairman of Jaguar, on the British government's privatizing of Jaguar and Rover Group: ''The Prime Minister has never liked owning car companies. She barely puts up with owning the police.''