Final answer:
Adding a new state to the union does not change the number of states required to pass federal legislation; a simple majority in Congress is typically needed, but certain situations like constitutional amendments or override of vetoes require supermajorities.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a new state were added to the union, the number of states needed to pass legislation would not change from the current requirement because the passage of federal legislation depends on the vote within Congress, not the number of states. Legislation typically requires a simple majority to pass in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, there are situations where a supermajority is required, such as a two-thirds majority in both houses to override a presidential veto or to propose an amendment to the Constitution, and a three-fourths majority of state legislatures or conventions to ratify a proposed amendment. Additionally, in the Senate, due to the practice of filibustering, a minimum of 60 senators must vote in favor of cloture to end debate and allow a vote on the legislation to occur.
In the context of adding states and amending the Constitution, while new states can be admitted by Congress, constitutional amendments require specific processes for proposal and ratification. Two-thirds of state legislatures can ask Congress to call a national convention to propose amendments, and then any proposed amendments would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions.