Pelosi: Women's Caucus in Congress wants federal spending on childcare to be 'infinite'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday the Women's Caucus in Congress wants federal government spending on childcare to be "infinite."

Pelosi also said that Democrats have been "fighting so long" for a $15 minimum wage that it should be higher.

The California Democrat  argued that there are "human infrastructure" needs for which Congress should pay under President Biden's infrastructure proposals.

"This is not a luxury we're talking about. This is a necessity. Pre-pandemic childcare in California and rent were among the least affordable in the nation and now that's going to change," said Pelosi, referencing Biden's American Families Plan. "It ensures that no family pays over 7% of their income on childcare."

Biden's $1.8 trillion American Families Plan will "provide direct support to families to ensure that low- and middle-income families spend no more than seven percent of their income on child care, and that the child care they access is of high-quality."

It also would offer universal pre-K for 3 and 4 year olds. Biden's plan includes $400 billion in federal dollars for home and community-based caregiving as well.

Pelosi said the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan had $45 billion for childcare but "we need to go beyond that."

"The Women's Caucus in Congress wants to put like an infinite price on childcare because the needs are infinite but nonetheless $100 billion," Pelosi said. 

Pelosi said that Democrats and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also want to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour for all workers. 

"Of course, we've been fighting so long for fight for $15 now we want it to be higher," she said.