James Leo Nelligan (born February 14, 1929) is an American retired politician from Pennsylvania.

From 1951 to 1967 he was a staff member of the United States General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C.

He also served on the staff for the United States House of Representatives Committee on Government Operations from 1967 to 1970.

He served as operations director for the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce from 1975 to 1979.

He was elected in 1980 as a Republican to the 97th United States Congress but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1982.