The US congress passed a set of uniform laws to govern how bankruptcy is dealt with. In these bankruptcy laws, or the bankruptcy code, there are ways to protect the debtor from being harassed while they are trying to pay off their loans. The different methods that can be used are set out in certain chapters of the bankruptcy code.
These bankruptcy chapters such as chapter 11, chapter 9, and chapter 13 are recognized by the judicial courts to be bankruptcy laws that each state must work with. While the main body of these bankruptcy laws can’t be changed there are various amendments that can be done. These amendments in turn become part of the bankruptcy laws.