Inclusion Criteria:

* PRE-REGISTRATION (STEP 0)
* All patients are REQUIRED to be pre-registered to A041202 in order to submit peripheral blood to the Alliance Hematologic Malignancy Biorepository (HEME) for central Zap-70 methylation. This specimen submission is mandatory prior to registration as results will be used for stratification
* REGISTRATION (STEP 1)
* Patients must be diagnosed with CLL in accordance with International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (IWCLL) 2008 criteria that includes all of the following:

* \>= 5 x 10\^9 B lymphocytes (5000/uL) in the peripheral blood
* On morphologic review, the leukemic cells must be small mature lymphocytes, and prolymphocytes must not exceed 55% of the blood lymphocytes
* CLL cells on immunophenotype (performed locally) must reveal a clonal B-cell population, which express the B cell surface markers of CD19 and CD20, as well as the T-cell antigen CD5; patients with bright surface immunoglobulin expression or lack of CD23 expression in \> 10% of cells must lack t(11;14) translocation by interphase cytogenetics
* Patients must be intermediate or high-risk Rai stage CLL

* Intermediate risk (formerly Rai stage I/II) is defined by lymphocytosis plus enlarged lymph nodes at any site, with or without hepatomegaly or splenomegaly
* High risk (formerly Rai stage III/IV) is defined by lymphocytosis with or without enlarged nodes and spleen plus disease-related anemia (hemoglobin \< 11 g/dL) or thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 100 x 10\^9/L) that is not attributable to autoimmune hemolytic anemia or thrombocytopenia
* Patients must meet criteria for treatment as defined by IWCLL 2008 guidelines which includes at least one of the following criteria:

* Evidence of marrow failure as manifested by the development or worsening of anemia or thrombocytopenia (not attributable to autoimmune hemolytic anemia or thrombocytopenia)
* Massive (\>= 6 cm below the costal margin), progressive or symptomatic splenomegaly
* Massive nodes (\>= 10 cm) or progressive or symptomatic lymphadenopathy
* Autoimmune anemia and/or thrombocytopenia that is poorly responsive to standard therapy
* Constitutional symptoms, which include any of the following:

* Unintentional weight loss of 10% or more within 6 months
* Significant fatigue
* Fevers \> 100.5 degrees F for 2 weeks or more without evidence of infection
* Night sweats \> 1 month without evidence of infection
* Age \>= 65 years
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
* Patients with active hepatitis B defined by hepatitis B surface antigen positivity or core antibody positivity in the presence of hepatitis B DNA are not eligible for this study; patients with a positive hepatitis B core antibody but with negative hepatitis B DNA may participate, but must have hepatitis serologies and hepatitis B DNA monitored periodically by the treating physician

* Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can cause a false positive hepatitis B serology; if patients receiving routine IVIG have core antibody or surface antigen positivity without evidence of active viremia (negative hepatitis B DNA) they may still participate in the study, but should have hepatitis serologies and hepatitis B DNA monitored periodically by the treating physician
* Patients with class III or class IV heart failure by New York Heart Association, those with unstable angina, and those with uncontrolled arrhythmia are not eligible
* Patients who have had a myocardial infarction, intracranial bleed, or stroke within the past 6 months are not eligible
* Patients with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are eligible if their CD4 count is \>= 350 cells/mm\^3 and if they are not taking prohibited CYP-interacting medications
* Patients may not have had major surgery within 10 days of enrollment, or minor surgery within 7 days of enrollment; examples of minor surgery include dental surgery, insertion of a venous access device, skin biopsy, or aspiration of a joint; the decision about whether a surgery is major or minor can be made at the discretion of the treating physician
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,000/uL unless due to bone marrow involvement
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (AST) =\< 2.5 x upper limits of normal except if due to disease infiltration of the liver
* Bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limits of normal (unless due to liver involvement, hemolysis, or Gilbert's disease)
* Creatinine clearance \>= 40 mL/min

* To be calculated by modified Cockcroft-Gault formula
* Platelet count (untransfused) \>= 30,000/uL

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior treatment

* Patients must not have had prior therapy for CLL (except palliative steroids or treatment of autoimmune complications of CLL with rituximab or steroids)
* Treatment with rituximab and/or high dose corticosteroids for autoimmune complications of CLL must be complete at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment; palliative steroids must be at a dose not higher than 20 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent corticosteroid at the time of registration
* Patients must not be receiving active systemic anticoagulation with heparin or warfarin; patients must be off warfarin therapy for at least 30 days prior to enrollment
* Patients must not have any history of Richter's transformation or prolymphocytic leukemia (prolymphocytes in blood \> 55%)
* Patients must not require more than 20 mg prednisone or equivalent corticosteroid daily
* Patients must not have uncontrolled active systemic infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
* Patients must not have continued requirement for therapy with a strong cytochrome P450 3A4/5 (CYP3A4/5) inhibitor or inducer
* Patients must not have a known allergy to mannitol
* Patients must not have prior significant hypersensitivity to rituximab (not including infusion reactions)