(CNN) -- Ten years ago this month, I stood on the U.S. Senate floor as our nation's leaders debated the first major anti-terrorism legislation after the tragic attacks of September 11. This legislation, which quickly passed Congress and became law, would allow the federal government, for the first time, to easily spy and collect data on innocent Americans. This law, the poorly named USA Patriot Act, and subsequent expansions of federal law enforcement power, would erode America's freedoms and waste precious resources. Patriotism is about defending America's moral character and celebrating what makes this country great. Unfortunately, this bad law did the exact opposite.
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Farhana Khera: Patriot Act allows federal government to spy on innocent Americans
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For 10 years, she says, FBI has targeted citizens based on race, faith, and politics
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Khera: FBI can question you about a Facebook post, or spy on your emails, internet, records
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Act erodes freedoms, sows fear and mistrust, and needs to be changed, she says
Congress should amend the law to require law enforcement to focus on actual threats, and should conduct a full public accounting of the use of the @placeholder and all federal surveillance powers that target Americans based on their race, faith or political ideology.