WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday hailed the passage of a sweeping healthcare reform bill through the House of Representatives, calling it historic and urging the U.S. Senate to follow suit.

"Given the heated and often misleading rhetoric surrounding this legislation, I know that this was a courageous vote for many members of Congress," said Obama, who has invested much political capital in the battle to overhaul the United States' $2.5 trillion healthcare system.

(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria, editing by Jackie Frank)