Bevacizumab and Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Biliary Tumors

Criteria: * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm3 * Histologically or cytologically confirmed cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder carcinoma: * Metastatic or surgically unresectable disease * Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 lesion whose longest diameter can be accurately measured as \>= 2.0 cm with conventional techniques or as \> 1.0 cm with spiral CT scan: * Spiral CT scan imaging must be used for pre- and post-treatment tumor measurements of lesions measuring \>= 1.0 cm to \< 2.0 cm * Clinical lesions will only be considered measurable when they are superficial * Lesions on chest x-ray are acceptable as measurable lesions when they are clearly defined and surrounded by aerated lung * No ampulla of Vater tumors * No evidence of CNS disease * Life expectancy \>= 3 months * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Platelet count \>= 75,000/mm3 * Total bilirubin =\< 2 times ULN * ALT and AST =\< 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine =\< 2 mg/dL * Albumin \>= 2.5 g/dL * Alkaline phosphatase =\< 5 times ULN * Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 1.0 OR 24-hour urine protein \< 1000 mg * No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following: * Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or disease that may significantly alter the absorption of erlotinib hydrochloride * Requirement for IV alimentation * No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following: * Active peptic ulcer disease; * Serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture; * GI bleed that required procedural intervention within the past 3 months * No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following: * Abdominal fistula, GI perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days * Ongoing or active infection * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit study compliance * No other malignancy within the past 3 years * No abnormalities of the cornea * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No clinically significant cardiovascular disease * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered * No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days * No prior systemic anticancer therapy for metastatic gallbladder or bile duct cancer * More than 28 days since prior major surgery \[Note: Insertion of a vascular access device is not considered major/minor surgery\] * More than 2 weeks since prior minor surgery \[Note: Insertion of a vascular access device is not considered major/minor surgery\] * More than 7 days since prior core biopsy * No concurrent major surgery * No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or any other therapy or supportive care considered investigational * No concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs or any other CYP3A4 inducer, such as rifampin or Hypericum perforatum * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational agents or other concurrent anticancer therapies * No concurrent prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors * Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants allowed provided PT/INR is \> 1.5 and both of the following criteria are met: * In-range INR on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant OR on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin * AND (continued from above) No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels, gastrointestinal ulcerations, or known varices)