Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer That Overexpresses HER-2/NEU

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed breast cancer that overexpresses HER-2/NEU with evidence of metastatic disease and/or chest wall recurrence prior to randomization * HER-2/NEU overexpression is defined as 3+ HER-2 positivity as measured by immunohistochemistry OR HER-2 gene amplification as measured by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH, e.g. Vysis), per American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines * NOTE: representative diagnostic tissue must be submitted for central diagnostic review for confirmation of HER-2/NEU overexpression within two weeks following patient randomization * Evaluable (measurable or non-measurable) disease is allowed if confirmed within 4 weeks prior to randomization * Prior endocrine treatment in the adjuvant or metastatic setting is allowed, provided last dose given \>= 2 weeks prior to randomization * Radiation therapy is allowed provided last dose is given \>= 3 weeks prior to randomization * Adjuvant trastuzumab therapy for breast cancer is allowed provided last dose was given \>= 12 months prior to diagnosis of recurrence * Adjuvant or neoadjuvant taxane therapy for breast cancer is allowed provided last dose was given \>= 12 months prior to diagnosis of recurrence * Adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy with lapatinib is allowed provided last dose is given \>= 4 weeks prior to diagnosis of recurrence * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 mg/dL * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =\< 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (=\< 5 times normal in patients with known liver involvement) * Serum creatinine =\< 1.5 mg/dL * Urine protein: creatinine ratio =\< 0.5 OR 24-hour urine protein \< 1000 mg * International normalized ratio (INR) =\< 1.5 X ULN * Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) =\< 1.5 X ULN * Multi gated acquisition scan (MUGA) scan or echocardiogram (ECHO) within 6 weeks prior to randomization with an left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) above the institutional lower limit of normal * Patients must be able to understand and provide signed and dated written informed consent * Major surgical procedure within 4 weeks prior to randomization is not allowed (except for non-operative biopsy, which would not be considered major surgery); treatment can not begin until seven (7) days after placement of a vascular access device * Women must not be pregnant or breastfeeding; all females of childbearing potential must have a blood or urine test within 2 weeks prior to randomization to rule out pregnancy; women of childbearing potential and sexually active males must use an accepted and effective method of contraception * Patients on full-dose anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) with PT/INR \> 1.5 may be eligible provided that both of the following criteria are met: * The patient has an in-range INR (usually between 2 and 3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin * The patient has not active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or known varices) * Patients with a concurrent active malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or non-melanoma skin cancers (unless disease-free for at least 5 years at study entry) are not allowed Exclusion Criteria: * Prior chemotherapy, trastuzumab, or bevacizumab for metastatic breast cancer * Patients who have had a cumulative dose of doxorubicin of greater than 360 mg/m\^2 or epirubicin of greater than 640 mg/m\^2 in the adjuvant or neo-adjuvant setting at any time * Patients with grade 2-4 neuropathy * Patients with a history or radiologic evidence of central nervous system (CNS) disease * Patients have a current non-healing wound or fracture * Patients have a hypersensitivity to paclitaxel or drugs using the vehicle Cremophor, Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies * Patients have a serious medical or psychiatric illness that would prevent ability to safely participate or provide informed consent * Patients using any of the following drugs known to inhibit platelet function are not eligible: dipyridamole (Persantine), ticlopidine (Ticlid), clopidogrel (Plavix) and cilostazol (Pletal) * Clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including: * History of cerebrovascular (CVA) within 6 months * Uncontrolled hypertension * Myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 6 months * New York Heart Association class II or greater congestive heart failure, serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication, unstable angina pectoris * Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease