; (2) the Department should support the practice of rural health care in the United States because such care is crucial to fulfilling the mission of the Department to provide the highest quality care for veterans; and (3) education regarding the unique health needs of veterans is necessary for all health care providers and is especially important for providers in rural health care delivery systems, including those affiliated with Indian tribes and tribal health organizations that care for a significant number of veterans. 3. Authorization of payment by Department of Veterans Affairs for training and supervision of residents or interns at facilities that are not Department facilities (a) In general Subsection (c) of section 7406 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking Department facility each place it appears and inserting covered facility . (b) Covered facility defined Subsection (a)(2) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) The term covered facility means any of the following: (i) A Department facility. (ii) A facility operated by an Indian tribe or a tribal organization, as those terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 ). (iii) A facility operated by the Indian Health Service. (iv) A Federally-qualified health center, as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B) ). (v) A community health center. . 4. Pilot program to establish or affiliate with graduate medical residency programs at facilities operated by Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and the Indian Health Service in rural areas (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall carry out a pilot program— (1) to establish graduate medical education residency training programs at covered facilities